with aging — the generation of flavor and
tenderness by enzymes throughout the meat
— are desirable. But the changes that take
place at the meat surface are generally
undesirable. Oxygen in the air and energetic
rays of light generate off-flavors and dull
color. And meat is a nourishing food for
microbes as well as for humans. Given the
chance, bacteria will feast on meat surfaces
and multiply. The result is both unappetizing
and unsafe, since some microbial digesters of
dead flesh can also poison or invade the
living.
Meat Spoilage
Fat Oxidation and Rancidity The most
important chemical damage suffered by meats
is the breakdown of their fats by both oxygen
and light into small, odorous fragments that
define the smell of rancidity. Rancid fat won’t
necessarily make us sick, but it’s unpleasant,