170 Chapter 8
components identifi ed in raw meat (Seideman
and Durland 1984 ). Hamm and Hofmann
(1965) observed that the evolution of meat
fl avors happens as temperatures exceeding
70 ° C are reached and the oxidation of sulf-
hydryl groups to disulfi de groups occurs.
Although the aroma of cooked meat has a
characteristic sulfury note, there appears to
be a number of other components that make
important contributions to the odor (Table
8.2 ). Taste becomes relatively less important
as the aroma develops during cooking, but
the overall impact of the taste of cooked meat
is still a combination of taste and aroma.
Methods of cooking can profoundly infl u-
ence the fl avor of meat; in fact, it is question-
able if any other factor is as important.
Browning of meat, various fl avor additives
used in cooking, and a variety of modifi ca-
tions during cooking markedly affect the
fl avor of the end product (Seideman and
Durland 1984 ).
Both the amount and kinds of fat present
have an infl uence on the fl avor of meat prod-
ucts. Since fat is believed to impart the char-
acteristic species fl avor, not only the kind
but also the percentage of fat will have a
great infl uence on the characteristic fl avor of
various meat products. Fat is also important
in carrying added fl avors from seasonings.
Texture of meat is affected greatly by
cooking (Table 8.3 ). Meat samples become
harder and drier as the internal temperature
of the meat increases (Ritchey and Hostetler
1965 ; Bertola et al. 1994 ). The greatest dif-
ferences seen are between 74 ° C and 80 ° C
internal temperature. However, as the inter-
nal temperature increases, mealiness scores
have also been reported to increase (Bertola
et al. 1994 ). Bertola et al. (1994) observed an
interesting phenomenon; at an intermediate
range of temperatures 66 – 68 ° C, hardness
decreased very quickly, reached a minimum
value, and then increased until maximum
value was reached above 80 ° C. Bertola et al.
(1994) attributed the increased toughening
associated with increased cooking tempera-recontamination of the product, along with
refrigeration to slow down multiplication of
bacteria, the storage life is extended. The
length of storage will depend largely on the
care taken to prevent recontamination and
minimize conditions favorable to growth of
organisms still present in the meat. Different
pathogens can be a problem. Listeria mono-
cytogenes is the current focus of much
research on ready - to - eat meat products. The
bacteria are not greatly heat resistant but like
cold temperatures. If a ready - to - eat product
is contaminated with Listeria after process-
ing, during packaging or slicing, and no post
packaging treatments are used to destroy the
bacteria, this can be a problem. Many recalls
have been conducted because of this patho-
gen. Specifi c internal temperatures of cooked
products must be met to control other patho-
gens such as Salmonella spp., Campylobacter
jejuni , and Escherichia coli. Time and tem-
perature combinations can be used to control
different pathogens (Table 8.1 ).
In the manufacture of smoked meats,
cooking is done primarily to produce a table -
ready product. However, cooking also plays
a major role in extending the shelf life of
such products. Although raw meat is subject
to spoilage within a few days, fi nished cured
meat products can normally be stored for
several weeks after cooking, with proper
packaging and refrigeration.
Improvement in Palatability
Cooking is an important factor in developing
the palatability of meat products. Although
some people like to eat raw meat, most prefer
the fl avor and aroma of cooked meat. Cooking
intensifi es the fl avor of meat and changes
the “ blood - like ” or “ serumy ” taste of fresh
meat to pronounced cooked fl avor and
aroma.
Aromatic compounds become a bigger
contributor to the palatability of meat after
cooking; prior to cooking, the basic tastes
(sour, salty, sweet, bitter) are the major fl avor