ABSTRACT
Meat ‹avor is a complex trait. It is affected by small changes in water-soluble compounds, lipids, cooking procedures, aging periods, packaging systems, and storage conditions. Different species’ ‹avors are in‹uenced by numerous factors including the animals’ digestive system, breed, animal age and weight, gender, diets, and production systems. These differences, especially the lipid portion, help differentiate between species and create opportunities to enhance or degrade the ‹avor acceptability and intensity. This chapter will focus on what creates ‹avor differences within the different meat species and the role of postharvest factors on the ‹avor development of meat.
