Hanoi kindergarten pork supplier blames meat's soft texture on pigs being stressed

The explanation came after parents at Phuong Liet Kindergarten repeatedly reported unusual signs in pork supplied for the school's meals, including meat that was mushy and fell apart easily.

According to the supplier, the pork delivered to the school was produced in compliance with the ISO 22000:2018 food safety management system, while the live pigs used as raw materials had undergone all required testing and quarantine procedures.

In terms of appearance, a small proportion of pork processed on industrial slaughter lines may exhibit characteristics of PSE meat (Pale, Soft, Exudative), including a pale color, soft texture and excessive fluid loss, the supplier said.

"This condition occurs when pigs experience stress before slaughter, triggering an intense breakdown of glycogen into lactic acid in the carcass after slaughter.

This causes the product's pH to drop, leaving the meat surface wet and denaturing its proteins, which makes the meat soft and prone to losing fluid," the supplier explained.

Additionally, a pig's body temperature remains high after slaughter, at around 39 degrees Celsius. Parts such as the hindquarters and shoulders have difficulty releasing heat.

If they are not butchered and cooled quickly, the lean meat in these areas may become pale and soft due to the high temperature, it added.

Earlier, on Wednesday evening, social media posts raised concerns about unusual pork supplied to the kitchen preparing meals for children at Phuong Liet Kindergarten.

Parents said the lean meat felt mushy and fell apart when touched, lacking the elasticity normally associated with fresh pork.

On Thursday, parents reported similar problems again. Many subsequently took their children home and stopped sending them to school for lunch because they were concerned about the quality of the food.

After receiving the reports, the Phuong Liet Ward People's Committee directed an inter-agency food safety inspection team to visit the school and work with its management, the food supplier and parent representatives to work out measures to address the problem.

To ensure objectivity, scientific accuracy and transparency, the inspection team sealed a 150-gram pork sample and sent it to the National Institute for Food Control for in-depth testing in the presence of the relevant parties.