Increasing concern has been expressed about deterioration in the handling and eating quality of pigmeat produced in modern U.K. circumstances. Many of the problems are attributed to excessive leanness. It has been suggested that the Duroc breed may produce a better quality product than current U.K. white breeds as a result of its higher level of intramuscular fat. Diet composition has also changed over time, with increasing use of a wider variety of ingredients and added fats. This experiment was carried out to examine the effects of breed and dietary fat on pigmeat quality characteristics.