1 Meat and fish

a) Characteristics, structural composition and factors

affecting:
the component proteins (actin, myosin and actomyosin) to form muscle
muscle contraction
conversion of muscle to form meat
fish quality
b) The characteristic spoilage in:
putrefaction of meat
breakdown of fish tissues after catching
development of odours
c) The processes involved in:
storage and handling of meat
meat preservation
canning
freezing
fish preservation
chilling
freezing
d) Nutritional contribution to the diet.

Types of meat
Cattle beef
Pigs pork
Sheep lamb

Structure of meat
Lean meat is the muscle tissues of
animals.
Made up of:
Water
Protein
Minerals
Vitamins
Myoglobin
Lipids and sterols

Structure of meat
Meat muscle is made up of bundles of
muscle fibres held together by creamywhite connective tissue.
Tendons join the muscle (made up of
bundles of muscle fibres, surrounded by
connective tissue) to the bones of
animals.

Structure of meat
Connective tissue is made up collagen
and elastin, both fibrous proteins.
When meat is cooked, collagen becomes
soft and soluble and forms gelatine which
make it soluble and easier to digest.
Elastin is very elastic. Its yellow in colour.
Remains tough when cooked.
Ligaments (which join bones together) are
mostly made up of elastin.

Structure of meat
Muscle fibres are made up of cells which
contain proteins called actin and myosin.
Actin and myosin work together to make
muscles contract and relax.

Structure of meat
Short and fine muscle fibres come from
young animals they can be made tender
quickly during cooking.
Long and thick muscle fibres come from
older animals muscle which do lots of
work (neck and shin). Tougher meat.
Needs long, slow cooking to make it
tender.

Structure of meat
When an animal is slaughtered the supply
of ATP (produced during respiration,
provide the store of energy that muscles
use) runs out, causing the actin and
myosin to gradually lock together
(actomyosin). The actomyosin molecules
formed are inflexible, making the muscle
rigid and producing rigor mortis.
ATP=adenosine triphoshate

Colour of meat.
Due to red protein called myoglobin and
some haemoglobin (blood) left in the
muscle.
Vary due to age and exercise

Cooking to improve tenderness

Depends on structure of the muscle, age
of the animal, the area of the animal it has
come from.
During cooking muscle fibres coagulate
(shrink and harden). As this happens,
water is squeezed out of the meat and it
shrinks in size.
Methods of tenderising?

Storage
0-5oC to stop bacteria from spreading and
avoid food poisoning.
Store raw meat in clean sealed containers
on the bottom shelf of the fridge, so it can't
touch or drip onto other food.
Don't eat meat after its 'use by' date.
When you have cooked meat and you're
not going to eat it straight away, cool it as
quickly as possible and then put it in the
fridge or freezer. Remember to keep
cooked meat separate from raw meat.

Storage

0-5oC

Preservation methods of meat

The speed with which meat spoils not only
depends on hygiene conditions and
storage temperature, but also on the
acidity of the meat and the structure of the
muscular tissue.
The firm muscular tissue of beef, for
example, spoils less quickly than liver.
Hygienic slaughtering and clean handling
of the carcass have a positive effect on
storage life.

How canning food prevents food

poisoning

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/learningzone/clips/9213.flv

Nutrition of red meat

Iron - is required for the formation of red blood
cells. The iron contained in lean beef and lamb
is in the form that is more easily absorbed by the
body.
B vitamins - (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6 and
B12) - These vitamins are required for the
release of energy and other metabolic functions
in the body. Vitamin B12 is found only in foods of
animal origin like lean beef and lamb, fish, milk,
and eggs. B12 is required for the formation of
red blood cells.

Nutrition of red meat

Zinc - Red meat contributes about a
quarter of zinc in the diet. It assists with
the body's immune system to fight
infection and diseases. Lean beef and
lamb are important sources of easily
absorbed zinc.
Fresh red meat is naturally low in salt.

Nutrition of red meat

Protein - is required for growth and repair
of body tissues. Lean meat provides about
a quarter of the protein in the diet and is
especially important for growing children
and teenagers, those who are ill and those
with a very active lifestyle. Proteins are
made up of building blocks called amino
acids. Lean beef and lamb contain all the
essential amino acids required for growth
and repair.

Nutrition of red meat

Vitamin D - assists with the absorption of
calcium. Research shows that lean red
meat is a valuable source of vitamin D and
the vitamin D in red meat is in a highly
absorbable form.
Omega-3 fatty acids - Long chain omega-3
fatty acids have potential benefits in
relation to heart health, especially those
who have already suffered a heart attack.
Only a small amount of these long-chain
omega-3 fatty acids are found in meat.

Red meat and fat

Excess dietary fat is one of several risk factors
associated with coronary heart disease.
The greater proportion of the fat in lean beef and
lamb is in the monounsaturated form, which is
the type associated with a healthy
Mediterranean type of diet. In lean lamb over a
third of the fat is in the monounsaturated form.
The leanest form of beef and lamb today
contains less than 5% fat, compared to at least
25% for beef and 31% for lamb in the 1970s.

Status of the worlds fish stocks

Overfishing is widely acknowledged as the
greatest single threat to marine wildlife
and habitats.
Over-fishing means UK trawlers have to
work 17 times as hard for the same fish
catch as 120 years ago, a study shows.

Fish quality
Fish pass into rigor and start to undergo
bacterial deterioration immediately
afterwards.
Put on ice or frozen to prevent bacterial
growth as soon as caught.
Ammonia is often produced by bacteria
when they attack the protein of fish
muscle, aids to bad smell.

How fresh is my fish?

Instrument uses light at different
wavelengths to see how fresh the fish is.
The fish flesh will absorb light at different
wavelengths according to how it is stored
and how long it has been since it was
caught.
The spectrometer is placed
above the fillet. The colour
spectrum is measured and
storage time is calculated
on the basis of these
measurements.

Nutrition of fish
Fish and seafood are high in protein.
White fish, such as cod, halibut and plaice,
contain less than 5% fat.
Oil-rich fish, such as salmon, mackerel and
sardines, is a valuable source of vitamin D and
polyunsaturated fats called omega-3 fatty acids.
These help reduce your risk of heart disease,
and are thought to be important for the
development of the brain of the unborn child,
and for children. They may also help to ease
inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis

Spoilage of fish
Raw fish rapidly go off, even though they
are stored in ice.
There are no carbohydrates in the flesh.
So bacteria from the gut and gills start
work on the proteins straightaway.
They produce the mix of chemicals that
gives bad fish its unique smell.

Preservation methods of fish

Fresh fish will spoil very quickly. Once the
fish has been caught, spoilage progresses
rapidly. In the high ambient temperatures,
fish will spoil within 12 hours. Using good
fishing techniques and cooling the fish,
with the help on ice on board, can
increase the storage life of fresh fish.

Preservation methods of fish

Chilling
Freezing
Salting
Marinades
Drying
Smoking
Canning
Using Proudlove, page 119-121 write
about these preservation methods.