<![CDATA[melanosis uberis in pork belly]]>We are finishing up the processing of our first 2 home slaughtered yearling American Guinea Hogs. We noticed some black spots in and around the mammary glands. (Note these are 1yr gilts and have never farrowed a litter) From what I can find online, this condition appears to be melanosis uberis. A study on Nero Siciliano pigs indicates: Tyrosinase activation could take place in genetically predisposed swine after acorns are eaten, and this event could increase the biosynthesis and the anomalous storage of melanin. My pigs are also black, and were fattened in a wooded area that has a dense population of shagbark hickory and some oak.

I did not get good pics of mine, but these images are exactly what I have going on.

0d629739-d643-4109-a826-bb539564b924-image.png

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We pan fried a few chucks of trim that contained this can confirm taste and texture is what one would expect from a hunk of uncured unsalted pork belly. I fully intend to use the meat as is but has anyone else seen this before?

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/topic/4511/melanosis-uberis-in-pork-bellyRSS for NodeFri, 11 Sep 2026 00:37:52 GMTWed, 03 Nov 2021 14:16:42 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Mon, 08 Nov 2021 20:04:06 GMT]]>Deepwoodsbutcher good info. Thanks

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/55581https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/55581Mon, 08 Nov 2021 20:04:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:40:23 GMT]]>Dr_Pain so, so wrong

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54975https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54975Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:40:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:36:25 GMT]]>Ridley Acres

abcfbbf5-58e9-4f05-92f6-faaa2e1df3f1-image.png

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54971https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54971Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:36:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:12:07 GMT]]>Deepwoodsbutcher said in melanosis uberis in pork belly:

it also appears in males since they also have mammary glands

Thanks, I wasn’t sure if it was related to milk production or not.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54967https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54967Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:12:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Thu, 04 Nov 2021 16:59:57 GMT]]>Ridley Acres it also appears in males since they also have mammary glands. I’ve seen it in dark and lighter breeds

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54962https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54962Thu, 04 Nov 2021 16:59:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Thu, 04 Nov 2021 16:13:20 GMT]]>Dr_Pain said in melanosis uberis in pork belly:

the sow will produce chocolate milk

It the whipped cream from when they run low and it starts to sputter?

Isn’t it interesting that a brown cow can eat green grass and produce white milk

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54955https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54955Thu, 04 Nov 2021 16:13:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:54:51 GMT]]>Ridley Acres Hey man, just thought about something. If they have dark chocolate melanin around the nipples does that mean that the sow will produce chocolate milk ROFL!!!

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54954https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54954Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:54:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:52:51 GMT]]>Deepwoodsbutcher yes since this was in the mammary area I would expect the male I plan to harvest in a few weeks would not have this. Or did you also see this on males? I would also be interested to know if this is found on the lighter colored breeds or if this being a black pigmented breed that is what makes it predisposed.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54952https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54952Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:52:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:46:04 GMT]]>Deepwoodsbutcher Now that makes a LOT more sense. Should have thought about it. Thank you ma’am!

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54947https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54947Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:46:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Wed, 03 Nov 2021 22:55:30 GMT]]>Dr_Pain these deposits are seen along the mammary glands. I’ve never seen it anywhere else on the animal. I’m not sure exactly why the melanin shows up there and not other places.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54841https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54841Wed, 03 Nov 2021 22:55:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Wed, 03 Nov 2021 22:02:48 GMT]]>I did not read all the fine details but my question is why would the melanine be in the fat (dermis layer) rather than the epidermis?

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54830https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54830Wed, 03 Nov 2021 22:02:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Wed, 03 Nov 2021 20:01:11 GMT]]>Never heard of that. Great info thank you

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54810https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54810Wed, 03 Nov 2021 20:01:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Wed, 03 Nov 2021 16:21:08 GMT]]>Deepwoodsbutcher said in melanosis uberis in pork belly:

Commercially, I trimmed this off for appearance reasons. When making bacons for the farmer themselves, I usually left it on.

Thanks for the info. I left it on for my personal product, but trimmed on sides that may be going to friends/family due to the visual appearance.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54779https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54779Wed, 03 Nov 2021 16:21:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Wed, 03 Nov 2021 15:59:40 GMT]]>Ridley Acres Yes! I’ve seen this a lot. Both in commercially raised hogs and off of smaller farms. Your research has yielded the same information as mine. This is just a build up of melanin and is harmless. Commercially, I trimmed this off for appearance reasons. When making bacons for the farmer themselves, I usually left it on.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54772https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54772Wed, 03 Nov 2021 15:59:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Wed, 03 Nov 2021 15:18:16 GMT]]>processhead I think some patches were about 1.5" deep into the belly.

This breed is a smaller heritage breed that produces proportionally more lard than std. One of the hogs I was able to trim it out reasonably and have 5lb of belly per side. One side of one hog I did minimal trimming which included the melanosis but yielded 8.5# belly.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54762https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54762Wed, 03 Nov 2021 15:18:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Wed, 03 Nov 2021 15:11:19 GMT]]>How deep do the patches penetrate into the surrounding normal tissue?

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54761https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54761Wed, 03 Nov 2021 15:11:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Wed, 03 Nov 2021 15:01:13 GMT]]>Sure looks nasty

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54757https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54757Wed, 03 Nov 2021 15:01:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Wed, 03 Nov 2021 14:44:47 GMT]]>That is so interesting. Never heard of it before. Thanks for sharing

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54751https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54751Wed, 03 Nov 2021 14:44:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to melanosis uberis in pork belly on Wed, 03 Nov 2021 14:43:19 GMT]]>Ridley Acres By looking at all the research on it, that is what it appears to be. Seems like it is a genetic disposed defect and is safe to eat, just affects the appearance.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54750https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/54750Wed, 03 Nov 2021 14:43:19 GMT