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Meat is defined by the Codex Alimentarius as all parts of an animal that are intended for, or have been judged as safe and suitable for human consumption. Meat is primarily composed of animal muscle tissue, which is made up of muscle cells, connective tissue, and fat. The muscle tissue includes water, amino acids, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and flesh. The amount of fat in meat depends on the age of the animal, with younger animals having more water and less fat, and older animals having less water and more fat. The edible parts of animal flesh are mainly its muscle tissue, and the structure of meat muscle is made of fibers bundled together with connective tissue.
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What You'll Learn
Meat is muscle tissue with connective tissue and fat
Meat is primarily composed of animal muscle tissue, connective tissue, and fat. The edible parts of animal flesh are mainly its muscle tissue, which is made up of muscle fibres or cells bound together by connective tissue. The muscle fibres are also known as myofibrils, which contain filaments arranged in a repetitive pattern. The connective tissue in skeletal muscle is divided into the endomysium, perimysium, and epimysium, which surround each muscle fibre, bundles of muscle fibres, and the muscle as a whole, respectively.
The amount of connective tissue in meat can affect its tenderness, with older animals having more connective tissue and being tougher, while younger animals are more tender. Different types of connective tissue, such as tendons and ligaments, behave differently when cooked, with some requiring slow cooking to break down. The connective tissue also contains collagen, which dissolves in water and contributes to the body and thickness of stocks made from animal bones.
Fat is another important component of meat, with the fat content varying depending on the animal and the specific cut of meat. Fat can be found within and between the muscles, and it contributes to the succulence of braised meats and the shelf life, flavour, and colour of dry-aged meats. The fat in beef meat muscle, for example, is called intramuscular fat and is known for its marbling pattern.
In addition to these major components, meat also contains moisture or water, protein, and minerals. The muscle conversion process after an animal is slaughtered affects the meat's structure and flavour, with the depletion of oxygen leading to the production of lactic acid, which causes a build-up of acid and the release of calcium, resulting in muscle contraction. This process contributes to the unique flavours associated with meat.
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Meat's chemical composition changes after slaughter
Meat is defined by the Codex Alimentarius as "all parts of an animal that are intended for, or have been judged as safe and suitable for human consumption." It is mainly composed of animal muscle tissue, which includes water, amino acids, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and flesh. The muscle fibres, or myofibrils, are bundled together with connective tissue and contain filaments arranged in a repetitive pattern.
Once an animal is slaughtered, its blood circulation ceases, and its heart stops beating. This means that the muscles can no longer receive oxygen and must break down energy in a different way, leading to the production of lactic acid. As a result, the pH levels in the meat drop from a neutral pH of around 7 to a more acidic pH of around 5.5. This process is known as rigor mortis and causes the muscle fibres to shorten and contract, making the meat stiff.
The pH level of the meat is important for maintaining its quality, including colour and flavour. Stress can alter the pH level of animals, especially cattle and pigs, and cause discolouration in the final product. Therefore, it is crucial to handle the animals gently and minimise stress before slaughter to ensure their pH remains stable.
Some processors use electrical stimulation after slaughter to improve meat quality. This involves stimulating the muscles to contract and use up energy, accelerating rigor mortis and allowing for earlier chilling. The rate of chilling can also impact the state of muscle contractions and the toughness of the meat.
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Cooking meat changes its structure and moisture
Meat is defined by the Codex Alimentarius as "all parts of an animal that are intended for, or have been judged as safe and suitable for human consumption". It is composed of protein, fat, connective tissue, and exudate (its natural "juice"). The edible parts of animal flesh are mainly its muscle tissue. The structure of meat muscle is made out of fibres that are bundled together with connective tissue.
When cooking meat, the temperature goes up, and as it reaches 40°C/105°F, the proteins begin to denature. Denaturing means that the proteins unravel and deform, and the water is pushed out of the muscle fibres. Together with sugars, salts, protein fragments, nucleic acids, and other dissolved components of muscle cells, this water becomes flavorful meat juice. Near the surface of the meat, the juices will escape, thus reducing the juiciness of the meat. The process of denaturing and pushing out the water increases with the temperature.
Moisture loss is directly related to the final doneness temperature of the meat. The more free moisture there is in the cooked meat, the more juicy it will be. Raw meat typically consists of 65%-70% water. Most of that water is located between the protein filaments that make up the muscle fibres.
The connective tissue is mainly composed of collagen, a triple-helix protein structure. When you cook, collagen melts and turns to a rich liquid called gelatin, similar to the stuff Jell-O is made from. Cooked muscle fibres, no longer bound together by collagen, are now uniformly coated with a soft, gelatinous lubricant. This smooth substance enrobes meat in a silken texture and adds moisture.
When cooking tough cuts of meat with lots of connective tissue, like ribs, brisket, and shoulder, it is important to liquefy the meat’s connective tissue into gelatin: this is what makes these tough meats taste tender. This takes time, which is why these cuts are often cooked slowly at low temperatures. Muscle fibres start seizing up around 125°F to 140°F if heated quickly. But when heated slowly, the connective tissues have time to relax and do not squeeze tightly.
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Meat toughness depends on muscle weight and work
Meat toughness depends on several factors, including the muscle weight and work done by the animal during its lifetime. The edible parts of animal flesh that we consume are primarily its muscle tissue. Meat is composed of muscle cells, connective tissue, and fat. The muscle tissue includes water, amino acids, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and flesh. The connective tissue helps bundle together the muscle fibers, also known as myofibrils, which contain filaments arranged in a repetitive pattern.
The toughness of meat arises from the muscle fibers and connective tissue. The more the animal muscle works during its lifetime, the tougher the meat becomes due to the development of these components. For example, ham, which comes from the thigh muscles of pigs, tends to be tougher than other cuts of pork because the pig's thigh muscles are constantly working, leading to a higher amount of connective tissue. Similarly, the constant working of a cow's tongue and head muscles results in tougher meat in those regions.
The conversion process that occurs after an animal is slaughtered also affects meat toughness. Once an animal is killed, its muscle goes through rigor mortis, a state of constant rigidity. During this process, the muscle breaks down energy and produces lactic acid, causing a decline in pH levels and making the meat more acidic. This acidic environment contributes to the unique flavors associated with meat. Additionally, the buildup of acid in the muscle releases calcium, leading to muscle contraction.
The weight of the muscle also influences meat toughness. Larger, heavier muscles tend to have more connective tissue, which can make the meat tougher. For instance, a steak from the ribeye or strip loin, which are larger muscles, may be chewier than a tenderloin steak, which comes from a smaller, less-worked muscle located alongside the spine. Furthermore, the amount of fat in the meat can impact toughness. Fat helps to tenderize meat, so cuts with higher fat content, such as bacon, tend to be more tender than leaner cuts.
In summary, meat toughness is influenced by both muscle weight and work. The type of muscle, the amount of connective tissue, and the fat content all play a role in determining the toughness or tenderness of the meat we consume.
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Meat flavour is influenced by animal diet
Meat is defined by the Codex Alimentarius as “all parts of an animal that are intended for, or have been judged as safe and suitable for human consumption”. Meat is composed of protein, fat, connective tissue, and exudate (its natural “juice”). The edible parts of animal flesh are mainly its muscle tissue.
The meat we consume has mostly gone through a conversion process that begins once an animal is slaughtered, causing its muscle to remain in a constant rigid position named rigor mortis. The structure of meat muscle is made out of fibers that are bundled together with connective tissue.
The flavour of meat is produced by the thermal reaction of non-volatile compounds to produce volatiles, which are the major characteristics of flavour. The lipids that are the sources for volatiles are responsible for specific flavours. As fat melts, it produces flavours. The composition and the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids in meat depend on the animal's diet.
The diet of the animal influences the meat texture and flavour, as the diet alters the level of IMF and fatty-acid composition. For example, grain-fed beef is more susceptible to lipid oxidation than grass-fed beef, and this effect is due to the increased levels of vitamins A, C, and E, flavonoids, and carotenoids present in forages. Lactones are linked to the “roasted flavor” of meat of grain-fed ruminants, while triterpenoids are described as “gamey/stale” and are associated with an off-flavour by sensory panelists of grass-fed ruminants.
Analyses of lamb and beef produced on different diets have shown that the type of feed affects the concentration of many flavour volatile compounds.
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Frequently asked questions
Meat is defined by the Codex Alimentarius as “all parts of an animal that are intended for, or have been judged as safe and suitable for human consumption”. Meat is mostly made up of animal muscle tissue, which is comprised of muscle cells, connective tissue, and fat. The meat we consume has gone through a conversion process that begins once an animal is slaughtered, causing its muscle to remain in a constant rigid position named rigor mortis.
The structure of meat muscle is made out of fibers that are bundled together with connective tissue. The structure of meat is mostly composed of an animal’s muscle tissue, which is made up of three major components: muscle cells, connective tissue, and fat.
As heat is applied to a muscle, or “steak”, many things can happen, and all in a particular sequence. This process, called denaturation, begins precisely at 105°F. At this temperature, you can’t visibly see physical changes, but things are starting to happen to the structure of the fibers and water content. Calcium proteins begin to lose integrity until 122°F, at which point the meat is considered rare.
Yes, the quality, quantity, and type of food consumed by an animal will affect the flavour of its meat. This is because as animals eat, their food is converted into energy, which is stored for later use in the form of fat within the muscle bundles as intramuscular fats.
