Exploring Consumer Behavior and Preferences in Welfare-Friendly Pork Breeding: A Multivariate Analysis

Automatic Quality Assessment of Pork Belly via Deep Learning and Ultrasound Imaging

Pork belly, prized for its unique flavor and texture, is often overlooked in breeding programs that prioritize lean meat production. The quality of pork belly is determined by the number and distribution of muscle and fat layers. This study aimed to assess the number of pork belly layers using deep learning techniques. Initially, semantic segmentation was considered, but the intersection over union (IoU) scores for the segmented parts were below 70%, which is insufficient for practical application. Consequently, the focus shifted to image classification methods. Based on the number of fat and muscle layers, a dataset was categorized into three groups: three layers (n = 1811), five layers (n = 1294), and seven layers (n = 879). Drawing upon established model architectures, the initial model was refined for the task of learning and predicting layer traits from B-ultrasound images of pork belly. After a thorough evaluation of various performance metrics, the ResNet18 model emerged as the most effective, achieving a remarkable training set accuracy of 99.99% and a validation set accuracy of 96.22%, with corresponding loss values of 0.1478 and 0.1976. The robustness of the model was confirmed through three interpretable analysis methods, including grad-CAM, ensuring its reliability. Furthermore, the model was successfully deployed in a local setting to process B-ultrasound video frames in real time, consistently identifying the pork belly layer count with a confidence level exceeding 70%. By employing a scoring system with 100 points as the threshold, the number of pork belly layers in vivo was categorized into superior and inferior grades. This innovative system offers immediate decision-making support for breeding determinations and presents a highly efficient and precise method for assessment of pork belly layers.

Willingness to Pay a Higher Price for Pork Obtained Using Animal-Friendly Raising Techniques: A Consumers' Opinion Survey

In Italy, the consumption of pork meat is increasing, despite consumers' attitudes being addressed toward a greater sensitivity about animal welfare and its link with safe food. Considering the relatively high animal welfare standards and the divergence in public interest in farm animal welfare and ethical issues, the objective of this study-in continuation of our previous paper relating to consumer behavior and preferences in welfare-friendly pork breeding-was to investigate habits of pork consumers regarding pig welfare, principally evaluating their willingness to pay (WTP) a higher price for pork obtained using raising techniques with an approach based on animal welfare. An ad hoc questionnaire-based survey was submitted to consumers (n = 404) in Messina province, Italy. Results suggest that 47% of consumers were willing to pay an additional price for pork from farms that apply specific animal welfare standards. Positive correlations were between WTP and farming techniques (p = 0.001), organic farming methods (p = 0.001), and farms in which animal welfare is taken care of and guaranteed (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that consumers intend to pay a higher price for pork, like other animal products obtained using animal-friendly raising techniques. The sensitivity to the animal welfare of a single human being may influence consumers' attitudes toward pork consumption.

Consumer Preferences for Cured Meat Products from the Autochthonous Black Slavonian Pig

This study investigated the attitudes of Croatian consumers regarding their preferences for cured meat products from the Black Slavonian Pig. The survey was conducted on a sample of 410 consumers who completed an online survey about their consumption habits, knowledge about the pig breed, and socio-demographic characteristics. In this study, the independent samples t-test and ANOVA were conducted to determine the significant differences between the most important attributes in the purchase of cured Black Slavonian Pig products and the socio-demographic characteristics, consumption, and purchase habits of the respondents. Statistically significant differences were found between the studied intrinsic (color, odor, fat content, and salt content) and extrinsic variables (production method, brand, quality mark, and origin) in relation to the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents (gender, age, employment status, number of household members, and number of children under 15 in the household) and place of purchase, knowledge about the breed, and frequency of consumption of Black Slavonian Pig meat and products. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used to determine the consumer segments. Based on the responses received, three homogeneous consumer segments were identified: intrinsically oriented meat consumers, extrinsically oriented meat consumers, and uninterested meat consumers. The information obtained in the study is important for producers and retailers, as they can use our findings to develop successful marketing tools and different marketing strategies to promote cured Black Slavonian Pig products.