small amounts of glycogen in muscle tissue, we add sugars in marinades or basting liquids
that may also contain acids (vinegar, lemon juice, wine) to break down muscle fibers and
tenderize the meat. (NOTE: Browning has one minor nutritional drawback. It breaks amino
acids on the surface of the meat into smaller compounds that are no longer useful proteins.)
When meat is heated, it loses water and shrinks. Its pigments, which combine with
oxygen, are denatured (broken into fragments) by the heat. They turn brown, the natural
color of well-done meat. At the same time, the fats in the meat are oxidized, a reaction that
produces a characteristic warmed-over flavor when the cooked meat is refrigerated and then
reheated. Cooking and storing the meat under a blanket of antioxidants—catsup or a gravy
made of tomatoes, peppers and other vitamin-C rich vegetables—reduces fat oxidation and
lessens the warmed-over flavor. Meat reheated in a microwave oven is also less likely to taste
warmed-over.
How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food
Aging. Hanging fresh meat exposed to air in a cold room evaporates moisture and shrinks
the meat slightly. At the same time, bacterial action on the surface of the meat breaks down
proteins, producing an “aged” flavor. (See below, Food/drug interactions.)
Curing. Salt-curing preserves meat through osmosis, the physical reaction in which liquids
flow across a membrane, such as the wall of a cell, from a less dense to a more dense solu-
tion. The salt or sugar used in curing dissolve in the liquid on the surface of the meat to
make a solution that is more dense than the liquid inside the cells of the meat. Water flows
out of the meat and out of the cells of any microorganisms living on the meat, killing the
micro-organisms and protecting the meat from bacterial damage. Salt-cured meat is higher
in sodium than fresh meat.
Smoking. Hanging fresh meat over an open fire slowly dries the meat, kills microorgan-
isms on its surface, and gives the meat a rich, smoky flavor. The flavor varies with the wood
used in the fire. Meats smoked over an open fire are exposed to carcinogenic chemicals in
the smoke, including a-benzopyrene. Artificial smoke flavoring is commercially treated to
remove tar and a-benzopyrene.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits
Treating and/or preventing iron deficiency. Without meat in the diet, it is virtually impossible
for an adult woman to meet her iron requirement without supplements.
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food
Increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Like all foods from animals, game meats are a source
of cholesterol. To reduce the risk of heart disease, the National Cholesterol Education Project
recommends following the Step I and Step II diets.
Game Meat