Effect of dantrolene sodium on pork quality from pigs stunned by captive-bolt

Three groups, each consisting of six crossbred pigs weighing approximately 100 kg, were used to determine the effects of three preslaughter stunning methods on certain quality characteristics of the longissimus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris muscles. The three methods of stunning were captive-bolt, electric shock and oral dantrium (dantrolene sodium, a muscle relaxant) followed by captive-bolt. The three muscles were significantly different to each other in some of the quality traits, but the responses to treatments were similar in the three muscles. Without dantrium, captive-bolt stunning resulted in reduced muscle pH at 45 min postmortem and a greater water exudation in muscles at either 1 h or 24 h postmortem compared to electrically stunned pigs. Dantrium treatment followed by captive-bolt stunning eliminated these differences. Key words: Pigs, PSE, stunning, muscle relaxant, dantrolene