Meat Value Addition

Meat processing

any mechanical, chemical, or enzymatic treatment of meat that alters the form in which it originally occurs

if its raw material has been processed to achieve an increased market value

When is a product classified as “value-added”?

value-added

significant transformation of products, improving eating characteristics

providing variety of meat products
increasing demand and marketability
meeting shelf-life requirements
using carcasses and by products efficiently
incorporating non-meat ingredients for safety, quality, and economic value
preserving quality attributes for transport and distribution

What are the purposes of meat value addition?

preserve quality or extend shelf life
improve quality
improve safety
manipulate ingredients or formulate products
control portion
increase convenience for consumers

What are the functions of meat processing?

chilling, packaging, antimicrobials, antioxidants, irradiation

What are ways that the meat industry preserves quality and extends shelf life?

MAP, active-packaging, vacuum-packaging

What are the types of packaging that can be used to preserve meat quality and extend shelf life?

tenderness, juiciness, flavor, taste, color

When improving quality in the meat industry, what do we look at improving?

tenderization

How can be improve tenderness?

injection

How can be improve juiciness?

marination, injection

How can we improve flavor?

injection, rubbing, marination

How can we improve taste?

change packaging type

How can we improve color?

antimicrobials, irradiation, packaging, cooking

How can we improve safety?

cooking

What is the most commonly used process for improving meat safety?

significantly reduced pathogen load and extended shelf life

What is the difference in meat that was treated with antimicrobials for quality preservation?

product functionality, flavor enhancement, nutrient composition

What do we try to improve in meat by manipulating ingredients and formulating products?

texture, binding, sensory attributes

What are characteristics of product functionality?

fat, protein, salt, phosphates, etc.

What nutrients do we try to manipulate to improve meat quality?

size reduction, trimming, packaging

How do we control portion size of meat products?

RTC (ready-to-cook), RTE (ready-to-eat), IQF (Individually-quick-frozen), cook-in-bag , sous-vide

What are ways that the meat industry increases convenience for consumers?

no change in chemical composition

Minimal processing means that there is:

raw, intact, no ingredient added
raw, non-intact, no ingredient added
edible offal/variety meats
raw, lean recovered

What are examples of minimally processed meats?

changes in in chemical composition

further processing means that there are:

enhancing quality and adding value to low-quality, low-value meat

What is the purpose of further processing meat?

raw, non-intact with added ingredients
further processing, not thermally treated
further processing, thermally treated
commercially sterile

What are examples of further processed meats?

shelf life

the length of time before meat products become unpalatable, unsafe for human consumption, or unattractive in the display case

because mat is highly perishable and prone to spoilage and oxidation

Why is shelf life of meat limited?

near neutral pH(5.3-6.5)
high water activity
rich in nutrients

What are the characteristics of meat that make it higher perishable?

they create and ideal environment for microbial growth

Why do pH, water activity, and nutrients matter in the shelf life of meat?

exposure to oxygen and fluorescent light

What environmental factors contribute to meat spoilage?

it promotes oxidation and microbial growth

Why does oxygen exposure affect meat shelf life?

it accelerates oxidation and microbial growth

Why does fluorescent light affect meat shelf life?

refrigeration

What is the primary method used to extend meat shelf life?

only a few hours

How long does meat last without refrigeration?

it slows microbial growth and biochemical reactions

How does refrigeration extend shelf life?

chilling, freezing, and freeze drying

What are common cold preservation methods?

pasteurization and sterilization

What are heat-based preservation methods?

curing, smoking, dehydration

What are traditional preservation methods?

irradiation

What modern preservation method uses radiation?

antimicrobials and antioxidants

What chemical methods help preserve meat?

vacuum packaging, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and active packaging

What are types of packaging technologies used in meat preservation?

spoilage and oxidation

What marks the end of meat shelf life?

organic acids, protein degradation, and mold/yeast growth

What causes a slimy appearance in spoiled meat?

changes in pH

What causes discoloration in spoiled meat?

volatile compounds produced by spoilage bacteria

What causes a weird aroma and flavor in spoiled meat?

it becomes uncharacteristic of the product

How does spoilage affect texture?

not much

Does oxidation significantly change meat appearance?

oxidized color changes

What kind of discoloration occurs during oxidation?

volatile compounds from lipid and protein oxidation

What causes a weird flavor and aroma in oxidized meat?

usually minimal change

How does oxidation affect texture?