Why does pork have a sheep like smell

The appearance of a sheep like odor in pork may be related to feed ingredients, hormone residues in castrated boars, or improper storage and processing. The mutton smell is not a typical characteristic of pork, and if there is an abnormal odor, it should be consumed with caution. During some breeding processes, if pig feed contains plants or additives with special odors, it may cause the meat to absorb odors. For example, long-term feeding of feed containing fish meal, soybean meal, and other ingredients, or cross contamination of odors caused by the proximity of pig pens to sheep sheds. This type of situation usually does not affect food safety, but odors can be masked by soaking, blanching, or using spices before cooking. Undescented boars have higher levels of testosterone and skatole in their bodies, which may produce a fishy odor similar to that of sheep. This type of pork is relatively rare in formal slaughterhouses, but it may occur in rural self raised pigs that have not been sterilized. It is recommended to purchase pork that has undergone quarantine through legitimate channels and avoid purchasing meat from unknown sources.

After purchasing pork, attention should be paid to refrigerated storage and avoid mixing it with strong smelling foods such as lamb. If the meat is found to be sticky, dull in color, and accompanied by a pungent odor, it may have spoiled and should be immediately stopped from consumption. When cooking in daily life, ginger, cooking wine, star anise and other deodorizing seasonings can be used to ensure food safety and taste.