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Nutritional composition of carcass cuts in fresh South African pork
Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1869484297163898880 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Hlongwane, Nokukhanya |
| author2 | Strydom, Phillip Evert |
| author_browse | Hlongwane, Nokukhanya Strydom, Phillip Evert |
| author_facet | Strydom, Phillip Evert Hlongwane, Nokukhanya |
| author_sort | Hlongwane, Nokukhanya |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136063 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-07-01T04:12:39.129Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136063 Nutritional composition of carcass cuts in fresh South African pork Hlongwane, Nokukhanya Strydom, Phillip Evert Marais, Jeannine Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Animal Science. Pork -- Composition Pork -- Carcasses Nutrition -- Labeling -- South Africa Food -- South Africa -- Composition Meat cutting -- South Africa Nutrition UCTD Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Hlongwane, N. 2026. Nutritional composition of carcass cuts in fresh South African pork. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/ec4038ce-16a5-4700-b118-adfa87c7f8ad ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Pork is recognised as the most consumed red meat, ranking second to chicken in overall meat consumption. South Africa accounts for approximately 0.2% of global intake, while according to the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO), national consumption is projected to rise by 19% over the next decade. Despite this growth, misconceptions persist; many South Africans still perceive pork as unhealthy and excessively fatty. Additionally, most of the pork nutritional data utilised locally is derived from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) databases, resulting in limited country-specific information. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the nutritional composition of eight pork cuts commonly consumed in South Africa, addressing a critical gap in locally generated food composition data. Ten carcass sides from yield classes P and O, depicting the yield classes most produced and commercialised in South Africa, were processed into trimmed and untrimmed primal cuts. These cuts were analysed for proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, as well as vitamin and mineral concentrations, using Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) approved procedures and advanced chromatographic techniques. Substantial variation in proximate composition was observed across cuts (Chapter 3), with leaner cuts such as the fillet, leg and rump displaying higher protein and amino acid concentrations, while fatter cuts such as the belly and neck contained higher levels of total lipid and saturated fatty acids. Across all cuts, fatty acid composition followed the general pattern MUFA > SFA > PUFA. The amino acid and fatty acid findings together highlight the influence of cut-specific fat deposition on the nutritional profile of pork, with implications for consumer dietary choices and health messaging. Micronutrient analysis further demonstrated that pork is a nutrient-dense protein source, providing meaningful contributions to daily vitamin and mineral intakes (Chapter 4). Significant differences among cuts were noted for vitamin B2 and vitamin B12, with vitamin B3 emerging as the most abundant B vitamin overall. Macro-mineral concentrations also differed significantly across cuts, reinforcing the variable yet valuable contribution of pork to micronutrient nutrition for individuals four years and older. Comparison with international nutrient databases (USDA and Australian) underscored the need for updated region-specific nutrient values to support accurate labelling, dietary guidelines and consumer education within the South African context. Taken together, the results of this study provide a detailed and empirically grounded characterisation of the nutritional composition of major pork cuts produced and consumed in South Africa. By documenting cut-specific differences in macronutrients, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, this work fills an important national data gap and establishes a scientific basis for improving food composition tables, refining nutrient labelling practices and guiding evidence-based consumer communication. The findings underscore the nutritional value of pork as a protein source while highlighting the variability that exists across cuts, providing information that is essential for nutrition professionals, policymakers and the pork industry as they respond to growing public interest in healthier and more sustainable food choices. This study therefore contributes not only to the scientific understanding of pork composition but also to the broader efforts to strengthen national dietary data base and support informed decision-making across the value chain in South Africa. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Varkvleis word beskou as die mees verbruikte rooivleis, met ’n tweede plek ná hoender in totale vleisverbruik. Suid-Afrika verteenwoordig ongeveer 0,2% van die wêreldwye inname, terwyl die Suid-Afrikaanse Varkprodusente-organisasie (SAPPO) voorspel dat nasionale verbruik oor die volgende dekade met 19% sal toeneem. Ten spyte van hierdie groei, bestaan wanopvattings steeds; baie Suid-Afrikaners beskou varkvleis as ongesond en oormatig vetterig. Daarbenewens is die meeste voedingsdata oor varkvleis wat plaaslik gebruik word, afkomstig van die Verenigde State se Departement van Landbou (USDA) se databasisse, wat lei tot beperkte landspesifieke inligting. Hierdie studie bied ’n omvattende evaluering van die voedingsamestelling van agt varksnitte wat algemeen in Suid-Afrika verbruik word en spreek ’n kritieke leemte in plaaslik gegenereerde voedselamestellingsdata aan. Tien karkassye uit opbrengsklasse P en O, wat die mees geproduseerde en gekommersialiseerde klasse in Suid-Afrika verteenwoordig, is verwerk tot afgerande en onafgerande primêre snitte. Hierdie snitte is ontleed vir proksimate samestelling, aminosuur- en vetsuurprofiele, asook vitamien- en mineraalkonsentrasies, met behulp van Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC)-goedgekeurde prosedures en gevorderde chromatografiese tegnieke. Beduidende variasie in proksimate samestelling is tussen snitte waargeneem (Hoofstuk 3), met maerder snitte soos die filet, boud en kruissnit wat hoër proteïen- en aminosuurkonsentrasies getoon het, terwyl vetter snitte soos die dunlies en nek hoër vlakke van totale lipiede en versadigde vetsure bevat het. Oor al die snitte het die vetsuursamestelling die algemene patroon MUFA > SFA > PUFA gevolg. Die bevindinge rakende aminosure en vetsure beklemtoon gesamentlik die invloed van snitspesifieke vetneerlegging op die voedingsprofiel van varkvleis, met implikasies vir verbruikers se dieetkeuses en gesondheidskommunikasie. Mikrovoedingstofanalise het verder getoon dat varkvleis ’n nutriëntdigte proteïenbron is wat betekenisvolle bydraes tot daaglikse vitamien- en mineraalinname lewer (Hoofstuk 4). Beduidende verskille tussen snitte is waargeneem vir vitamien B2 en vitamien B12, met vitamien B3 wat oor die algemeen as die volopste B-vitamien na vore gekom het. Makromineraalkonsentrasies het ook beduidend tussen snitte verskil, wat die wisselende maar waardevolle bydrae van varkvleis tot mikrovoedingstofvoeding vir individue van vier jaar en ouer beklemtoon. Vergelyking met internasionale voedingsdatabasisse (USDA en Australiese databasis) het die behoefte aan bygewerkte, streekspesifieke voedingswaardes beklemtoon om akkurate etikettering, dieet-riglyne en verbruikersopvoeding binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks te ondersteun. Gesamentlik bied die resultate van hierdie studie ’n gedetailleerde en empiries-gefundeerde karakterisering van die voedingsamestelling van belangrike varksnitte wat in Suid-Afrika geproduseer en verbruik word. Deur snitspesifieke verskille in makrovoedingstowwe, aminosure, vetsure, vitamiene en minerale te dokumenteer, vul hierdie werk ’n belangrike nasionale dataleemte en vestig dit ’n wetenskaplike grondslag vir die verbetering van voedselamestellingstabelle, die verfyning van voedingsetiketteringspraktyke en die leiding van bewysgebaseerde verbruikerskommunikasie. Die bevindinge beklemtoon die voedingswaarde van varkvleis as proteïenbron, terwyl dit die variasie tussen snitte uitlig, en verskaf noodsaaklike inligting vir voedingskundiges, beleidmakers en die varkbedryf in reaksie op groeiende openbare belangstelling in gesonder en meer volhoubare voedselkeuses. Hierdie studie dra derhalwe nie net by tot die wetenskaplike begrip van varkvleisamestelling nie, maar ook tot breër pogings om die nasionale diet databasis te versterk en ingeligte besluitneming regdeur die waardeketting in Suid-Afrika te ondersteun. Masters 2026-04-21T12:26:33Z 2026-04-21T12:26:33Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136063 en Stellenbosch University xiv, 58 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Pork -- Composition Pork -- Carcasses Nutrition -- Labeling -- South Africa Food -- South Africa -- Composition Meat cutting -- South Africa Nutrition UCTD Hlongwane, Nokukhanya Nutritional composition of carcass cuts in fresh South African pork |
| title | Nutritional composition of carcass cuts in fresh South African pork |
| title_full | Nutritional composition of carcass cuts in fresh South African pork |
| title_fullStr | Nutritional composition of carcass cuts in fresh South African pork |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nutritional composition of carcass cuts in fresh South African pork |
| title_short | Nutritional composition of carcass cuts in fresh South African pork |
| title_sort | nutritional composition of carcass cuts in fresh south african pork |
| topic | Pork -- Composition Pork -- Carcasses Nutrition -- Labeling -- South Africa Food -- South Africa -- Composition Meat cutting -- South Africa Nutrition UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136063 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hlongwanenokukhanya nutritionalcompositionofcarcasscutsinfreshsouthafricanpork |