Table 1.

Definitions and score distributions of sensory evaluation parameters for pork loin tenderness

Attributes	Definition	Anchor points
Softness	Force required to compress (biting across the fibers) the meat sample placed between molar teeth	1 = Very hard 5 = Very soft
Initial tenderness	Force required to chew three times after the initial compression	1 = Very tough 5 = Very tender
Chewiness	Energy required to chew nine times for swallowing at a constant rate	1 = Very chewy 5 = Very tender
Rate of breakdown	Number of chews required for the sample to disintegrate during the mastication process in preparation for swallowing	1 = Very slow 5 = Very fast
Amount of perceptible residue	Amount of perceptible residue remaining upon complete disintegration of the meat sample	1 = None 5 = Abundant
Juiciness	Amount of moisture released after five chews	1 = Not juicy 5 = Extremely juicy
Mouth coating	Amount of oil/fat left on the mouth surface	1 = None 5 = Abundant

Modified from Fortin et al. (2005).