ABSTRACT
CONTENTS Introduction ..................................................................................... 196 Muscle Proteins ............................................................................... 197
Myofibrillar Proteins ............................................................. 197 Contractile Proteins ......................................................... 203 Regulatory Proteins ......................................................... 205 Cytoskeletal Proteins ....................................................... 205
Stromal or Connective Tissue Proteins ................................ 206 Collagen ............................................................................ 206 Elastin ............................................................................... 207
Sarcoplasmic Proteins ........................................................... 208 Myoglobin ......................................................................... 208 Proteolytic Enzymes ........................................................ 209
Structure of Muscle ......................................................................... 211 Gross Structure ...................................................................... 211 Myofibrillar Structure ............................................................ 211 Sarcomere Structure .............................................................. 211
Basic Meat Chemistry ..................................................................... 212 Muscle Contraction ............................................................... 212
Conversion of Muscle to Meat — Rigor Mortis .................. 215 Protein Interactions: Effects on Meat Quality .............................. 215
Color ....................................................................................... 215 Color of Fresh Meat ......................................................... 217 Color of Cooked Meat ..................................................... 220 Color of Cured Meat ........................................................ 221 Color of Irradiated Meat ................................................. 223
Flavor ...................................................................................... 223 Taste .................................................................................. 223 Aroma ............................................................................... 225
Texture .................................................................................... 230 Texture of Fresh Meat ...................................................... 230 Texture of Processed Meats ............................................. 246 Interaction of Meat Proteins and Nonmeat Extenders... 252
Protein Ingredients Derived from Meat ........................................ 255 Collagen .................................................................................. 255 Gelatin .................................................................................... 256 Stocks ...................................................................................... 257 Hydrolysates and Flavors ..................................................... 257
Concluding Remarks ...................................................................... 258 Acknowledgments ........................................................................... 258 References ........................................................................................ 258
Immediately after an animal is slaughtered, its skeletal muscle tissue begins to undergo a very complex series of biochemical, physiological, and structural changes, which eventually result in its conversion into meat. The term meat is used extensively throughout this chapter in reference to the edible skeletal muscle tissue of red meat species (beef, pork, lamb, goat), poultry (chicken, turkey, goose, duck), and exotic species such as deer, rabbit, and ostrich (1).
