Boar taint

Boar taint — boar odour — is an unpleasant off-odour and off-flavour arising when meat from certain pigs is heated. It occurs mainly in boar meat but, to a lesser extent, also in pork from females and castrates. Consumers differ markedly in sensitivity; notably, women detect it more often than men. Androstenone and skatole in the fat are the major compounds responsible: skatole contributes mothball-like, musty notes while androstenone gives sweaty, urinous, parsnip-like notes. The industry manages it through slaughter at lower weights, genetic selection, dietary strategies, and detection at the slaughter line, since tainted carcasses cause costly consumer rejection.