Lesson: Meat Quality

Readings:

A. Meat Quality

In recent years, meat quality has assumed a greater consumer significance and public
attention there is growing awareness of the link between diet and health and this is reflected in the
demand for more information and for products which are healthy and of consistently high quality.

As a consequence, this has led to the demand for meat with a high lean content. On the
other hand as animals, and especially pigs and poultry, have become leaner, more complaints have
been received that the eating quality of the meat has declined, with complaints of dryness,
toughness and lack of taste and flavour.

Other concerns are about food safety and hygiene, especially the presence of micro-
organisms, bacterial contamination and residues, as well as the welfare and husbandry conditions
under which animals are kept.

Thus, both the diets fed to the animals and the systems of animal production are being
increasingly questioned. It is fortuitous that with the elucidation of the major factors influencing
meat quality and hygiene new opportunities are being created for the development of a consistent,
healthy, safe and attractive product which offers value for money.

Factors contributing to the eating quality of meat are:

i. Appearance
ii. Flavour (smell at abattoir, taste)
iii. Tenderness (chew time)
iv. Texture

i. Appearance

This has to do with the colour of meat and its freshness. Colour is determined by
the concentration of myoglobin. In young animals there is little concentration of
myoglobin, but greater in older animals and the meat becomes darker.

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 ii. Flavour

Flavour is the combined result of the taste and smell senses and, because it is a
subjective property, is difficult to evaluate. Each species has its own characteristic flavour.
Chemical reactions resulting in some 1,000 compounds during contribute to te individual
meat’s flavour

iii. Tenderness

The meat from the young animals is more tender that the meat from old animals.
At time of cooking a lot of connective tissues will become soft especially meat from the
young animals. Connective tissues are easily broken in meat of young animals than the
older animals because they do not easily disintegrate.

iv. Texture

This has to do with the diameter of muscle fibre when muscle are associated with
closely packed diameter. It is called fine texture and it is usually of young animals. Course
texture is associated with wider diameter of muscle and it is usually meat of older animals.

Hofmann (1987) and Russo (1988) have broadly classified meat quality
characteristics into four main categories:

1. Organoleptic properties
2. Technological quality
3. Nutritive value
4. Hygienic characteristics or food safety aspects

1. Organoleptic Properties

 Are the traits that influence the consumer to regularly purchase and eat meat.

2. Technological Qualities

 Refers to the suitability of meat for further processing and are primarily
determined by treatment after slaughter.

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 3. Nutritional Value

 Concerns with the chemical composition of the meat and its suitability for
human consumption.

4. Hygiene or safety implies freedom from harmful microorganisms and any residues.

 These can be controlled through legislation, proper feeding designs and

strategies, quality management schemes on the farm and procedures in the
slaughterhouse and processing plant.

B. Components of Meat Quality

The main factors contributing to the eating quality of meat are tenderness, juiciness and
colour. These are dependent upon several metabolic and biological phenomena within the animal
or carcass and include the following:

i. Intramuscular content or marbling fat

ii. Taint, especially the content of skatole, indole and testosterone
iii. The type and fatty acid content of the animal’s diet and hence its carcass
iv. Maturation or conditioning effects
v. Drip loss and maintenance of the integrity of the cell membrane post-morten
vi. Stress, during transportation and lairage
vii. The potential to flavour meat
viii. The effect of feeding

i. Marbling Fat

Acceptability in pigs, the effect of fat on eating quality depend on amount of

marbling fat. Marbling fat is the lipid found in the connective tissue surrounding the muscle
fibre bundle. It has been suggested that at least 2.0% marbling fat is required for optimal
eating quality. Studies have shown that the lower the backfat thickness, the lower the
percentage of marbling fat and the less the overall acceptability of the pork.

ii. Taint and Effect of Skatole

Skatole (3-methyl indole) is a volatile compound produced in the hindgut of animal

by microbial degradation of the amino acid tryptophan. Majority of skatole is degraded in

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 the liver and excreted in the urine; the undegraded portion is deposited in the fat and muscle
of the body.

High concentrations in these tissues give rise to unpleasant smell and taste of meat,
especially in entire male animals. Several studies has shown the effect of different diet
component on skatole concentration in the intestinal contents, as well as faeces and backfat
of pig, e.g. fibre and cp content.

iii. Fatty and Composition

In non-ruminants it is well established that simply changing the type and quantity
of oil and fat in the diet can change the fatty acid content of fat in the carcass. High
concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids have been associated with values for
tenderness, juiciness, flavour and overall acceptability; whereas high concentration of
saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids resulted in high overall score. Also, there is an
increased risk of rancidity and ‘off’ flavour when oils are used in high quantity in pig diets.

iv. Maturation and Conditioning Effects

The tenderness of meat improves with conditioning and storage after slaughter.
Increasing the conditioning period from 1 to 10 days at 1℃ significantly improves the
overall liking of meat. Also the injection of calcium salt solutions, such as calcium chloride,
into the carcass of animals have been found to significantly improve the eating quality of
meat and reduced the toughening effect of cooking.

v. Oxidation Stabilization and Drip Loss

Lipids are important components of meat and enhance several desirable

characteristic such as flavour, tenderness and juiciness. However, one of the major cause
of deterioration of meat, even during cold storage, is lipid oxidation which ultimately
results in unacceptable flavour, odours and fatty acids, fat soluble vitamins and pigments.
There is also concern about the production of peroxides and aldehydes and the form action
of ‘free radicals’ which produce harmful chemical products.

Lipid oxidation is therefore a major cause of deterioration in the quality of meat. It

also influences the yield of saleable meat, since the disruption of the subcellular membrane
destroys the integrity of the cell wall, releasing intracellular fluid. This results in
considerable fluid or drip loss, a major problem and economic loss in both poultry and
pork. It is therefore beneficial to reduce both the occurrence and rate of lipid oxidation.

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 The role of vitamin E and Selenium as antioxidant is recognized and feeding of
high dietary levels to both pig and poultry has improved meat quality by reducing the rate
of lipid oxidation and maintaining the integrity of the cell membrane post-slaughter. This
resulted in the meat keeping its fresh appearance and colour for longer, as well as reduced
drip loss, allowing better presentation of both poultry and pork.

vi. Stress
vii. Meat Flavour

The most effective way to reduce the incidence of poor pork quantity is to improve
pre-slaughter management and handling and thereby reduce stress. Stress both during
transportation and pre-slaughter can affect meat quality, since it can influence the rate and
extent of post-mortem acidification in the muscle. If stress is induced over a long period,
then muscle glycogen is depleted and dark, firm and dry (DFD) meat may result.

Similarly, if the stress occur immediately b/4 or at slaughter, then the rate glycolysis
is increased at a time when carcass temperature is high, resulting in PSE meat. Chromium
has been recognized as an element which can assist animal to better tolerate stress,
therefore reducing stress occurrence in animals, especially the organic form and
minimizing the incidence of both PSE and DFD-type meat.

viii. Effects of Feeding

The supply of nutrients to animals, influence carcass composition since it directly

affects growth rate as well as the proportion of protein and fat in the body. The higher the
level of feeding, the higher the rate of lean and fat gain, and therefore the higher the eating
quality of the meat. It has also been proved that the quality and type of raw ingredients
included in the diets rather than the feeding levels per se was response for the effects.

C. Meat Preservation

Meat gets putrify due to the action of bacteria, moulds and yeasts. In an effort to get
nourishment from the meat after the meat alter the meat in various ways. To grow they require
favourable temperature.

It is therefore customary to classify organisms according to their temperature tolerance:

 Psychrophiles which have an optimum temperature range of -2℃ to 7℃.

 Mesophiles which have an optimum temperature range of 10℃ to 40℃.

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 Thermophiles which have an optimum temperature range of 43℃ to 66℃.

One can them preserve meat by reaching -2OC (sub optimal temp.) by chilling or freezing
and 66℃ (super optimal temp.) by pasteurizing, cooking or sterilizing. Organisms also need water
for growth and so it is possible to preserve meat by removing this by dehydration, freezing or
curing.

Organisms causes spoilage by:

 By disintegration in the connective tissue produce gases as hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide,
ammonia etc.
 Ferment the muscle sugar (glycogen) to produce acetic and butyric acids, causing offensive
smell and tastes.
 Discolouration of the meat by change in the myoglobin.

D. Types of Meat Preservation

i. Preservation by Cold

Simplest form of meat preservation and it can be done for long time. This is because
bacteria are unable to multiple at low temperature and due mainly to the fact that water is
changed to ice.

1. Chilling Meat

It is useful when meat will be preserved for only 35days. It loses very little
in appearance, nutritive value and taste. It is kept between -1.4oC and 1oC,
preferably in the dark as light has the effect of oxidizing fats.

The atmosphere should be kept dry. A concentration of 5% to 10% carbon

dioxide helps to prevent the growth of mould and bacteria. Meats under this
condition require more space as they will need be hung on hooks to allow for
adequate air circulation around them.

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 2. Freezing of Meat

Temperature for ordinary freezing vary between -18℃ and -5℃. This can
be kept for a long time. Frozen Beef can be stored for 12 months, veal slightly less,
mutton and lamb 8 months and pork 6 months without much deterioration.

Frozen meat stored too long become dry, less palatable and rancid. It is less
durable after thawing than fresh killed or chilled meat. Slow freezing or blast
freezing can be used.

ii. Preservation by Drying

Temperature, humidity and circulation of air are the key factors in drying of meat.
Gradual dehydration of meat cut to specific uniform shape that permits the equal and
simultaneous drying of whole batches of meat.

The optimal condition for a successful and easy drying of meat is are:

 Relative humidity of 30%

 Warm and dry air
 Small temperature difference between night and day

Notes:

 Drying will be faster under high temperatures, low humidity and intensive air
circulation.
 Relative high water evaporation in the first day of drying, after which evaporation rate
continually decreases.
 As the meat dries it becomes smaller, thinner, thinner and to some degree wrinkled.
 Consistency also changes from soft to firm and to hard.

E. Important Steps in Meat Drying

 Slaughtering of the animal

 Carcass trimming
 Selection of the raw materials
 Proper cutting and pre-treatment of the pieces

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 Proper arrangement of drying facilities
 Influence of unfavourable weather most be considered in order avoid quality problem or
production losses

The secret of correct meat drying lies in maintaining a balance between water evaporation
on the meat surface and migration of water from the deeper layers. In other words, care must be
taken that meat surfaces do not become too dry while there is still a high moisture content inside
the meat pieces.

Dry surfaces inhibit the further evaporation of moisture, which may result in products not
uniformly dried and in microbiological spoilage starting from the areas where the moisture content
remains too high.

F. Selection of Meat for Drying

Lean meats without visible fat tissues adhering to muscle are suitable for drying. Bovine
meat, sheep, cameloids, goats and venison (e.g antelopes, dear etc.) is also used. Meat from
medium aged animal, in good condition and not fat. Meat must be examined for undesirable
alterations as discolouration, haemorrhagic spots, off-flavour, and manifestation of parasites etc.
such defects must be trimmed off.

 Peripheral one
 Deeper meat layer

G. Techniques of Cutting Meat Pieces for Drying

Cutting muscle into thin strips can be done in two ways:

 Cutting after placing meat on clean chopping board

 Cutting the muscle in hanging position

In both cases the muscles have to be split along the muscle fibre and must be uniform and
smooth as possible. Length of strip may differ but not less than 20cm and not more than 70cm.

 Cutting meat strips from the muscle on a chopping board

 Cutting meat strips from a suspended muscle

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 In both cases the muscles have to be split exactly along the muscle fibres. The strips must
be cut as uniformly and as smoothly as possible and the diameter of the strip must remain the same
throughout the length.

The length of the strips may differ, though it should not be less than 20 cm and not more
than 70 cm. Meat cut into shorter strips requires considerably more time for hooking than the same
quantity cut into longer strips. However, strips which are too long may break because of their
weight.

H. Recommended Treatment before Drying

i. Pre-salting

The use of a 14% salt solution is preferred. It is bactericidal in action and also
protect against insect during drying. The necessary amount of edible salt is added to water
and dissolved by intensive stirring, the meat strips are dipped into solution, soaked for
about five minutes and then drained. Draining can be done using plastic sieve.

To make 14% of salt solution below are the volumes of water to the weight of salt:

Water (l) Salt (g)

5 810

6 975

7 1140

10 1630

Suspension of meat strips:

 On hooks
 On loops
 Means of clips

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 Sun meat dryer made of:

 Wood
 Metal

I. Methods of Suspending of Meat Strips for Drying

Meat should be suspended individually from one end, thus ensuring, through arrangement
on the drying facility, free air circulation along the whole length of the pieces and fat and uniform
drying. The contact of meat pieces with each other must be avoided.

The suspension of meat strips can be done in different ways:

 Suspension using metal hooks

 Suspension using loops
 Suspension using metal clips

Installation for drying entire batches of meat:

 Sun meat dryer made of wood or metal

 Mobile meat dryer

Note: Meat dryer with protection against extreme influence e.g roof type or normal with
protection.

J. Quality of the Final Products

i. Appearance

 Absence of large wrinkles and notches indicate uniform dehydration of meat

ii. Colour

 The surface and cross cut, should be uniform and dark red.

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 iii. Taste and Flavour

 Mild salty taste when spices are not added.

 No off-flavour.
 Some rancid flavour might occur.

Dried meat must be continuously examined for spoilage-related off-odour, which is the
result of incorrect preparation and/or drying of the meat. Meat with signs of deterioration must be
rigorously sorted out.

K. Packaging and Storage

This serve to protect against contamination:

 Paper, plastic foils, aluminium foils, cellophane and textiles.

 Vacuum packaging give longer shelf-life.
 Cardboard can be used.
 Prevention of wet condition setting in order to prevent bacteria and mould under storage.

L. Meat Drying in Combination with Additional Treatment

 Pre-salting
 Cured dried meat
 Smoked dried meat
 Dried meat with spices and additive e.g Kilishi

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