Abstract: Drip loss was a crucial indicator for evaluating pork quality, and increasing post-slaughter water loss promoted the formation of pale flabby exudative (PSE) meat and caused significant economic losses. This review analyzed the mechanisms underlying drip loss formation, including microstructural alterations caused by degradation of myocyte contraction kinetics and cytoskeletal proteins, and the effects of muscle fiber types (Type I and Ⅱb) on drip loss through energy metabolism and pH regulation. Furthermore, the effects of factors such as feeding management, slaughtering process and nutritional regulation on drip losses were analyzed, and the potential intervention mechanisms of nutritional additives through modulation of oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, and muscle fiber phenotype,which provided a theoretical foundation for precise control of drip loss and refinement of meat quality evaluation systems, offered valuable insights for enhancing the economic efficiency of the pork industry.

Key words: pork, drip loss, WHC, cytoskeletal proteins, muscle fiber phenotype, nutritional regulation