Lecture 2 : Meat 101

Last lecture we have introduced with a nice fact, why chicken meat is white and beef is red. But what is meat. Do you want to know more about meat? In this lecture, we will get Meat 101. Let's talk about our favorite veggie, meat.

What is meat?

• Generally refers to the skeletal muscle from the carcasses of animals
• 60-70% water
• 10-20% protein (Combination of amino acids) 
• 3-22% fat
• 1% ash (mineral)

How do we define quality meat?

The marbling of the meat defines the quality. Marbling refers to the fat patterns in the meat. The basic rule is the more marbling the better the quality.



How does the heme group effects the colour of the meat?
The amount of myoglobin effects the colour of the meat. But we already know that. But what happens to the myoglobin if you add a chemical component. On this images, you see the effects of different chemicals.

1. When H2O is bonded to the iron and the meat will get blue/purple.
2. Oxygen makes the meat red.
3. If the meat is cooked or not fresh differents reaction will start like the Maillard reaction. Next lecture will be completely about all brownings reactions.
4. Curing Meat
   When nitrate or nitrite is added, the meat will be good for a longer period. Secondly, the meat will stay pink. For instance, salami, ham. Even when meat will get smoked the principle is the same as curing them. However cured meat is not completely healthy there been several studies that it could cause cancer. But is not completely proven.

Meat as a Food Source

• Complete protein source
• Excellent source of iron
• Fat makes the product juicy, tender, and adds flavor
• Fat also reduces formulation costs
• Essential amino acids, zinc, B12, selenium, phosphorus, niacin, B6, choline, riboflavin, iron and more.

Thank you for reading this. This was a small lecture about meat. Mainly, inspired by a lecture of one of my teachers, miss Sterian. I hope you learned something about meat. The next lecture will be about meat. I am not sure what will follow. If you want to know more about a food oriented something. Always asks. I can do stuff, about Vitamins, Minerals, Acids, Basis, viscosity. That's actually a nice subject, viscosity. Everything is possible. Maybe a blog about Food Quality or redox reactions.

Random meat facts

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)  is essential to the growth and repair of nerve and muscle tissues, and it also helps maintain appetite. One of the best sources of Vitamin B1 is pork. Pork also rivals milk as one of the best sources of riboflavin, which keeps your skin and eyes healthy.

Animal meats, like beef, contain high-quality complete protein, which means they supply all the amino acids your body needs to build the protein it uses for essential body functions such as growth and development.