ABSTRACT
Meat is the edible part of the flesh of an animal’s skeletal muscles and is an excellent source of many nutrients for human consumption. The postharvest processes used in meat preservation are principally concerned with inhibiting microbial spoilage, although other methods of preservation are sought to minimize quality deteriorative changes such as color and oxidative changes. This chapter aims to review the technologies for preservation of fresh meat and enhancement of the quality characteristics. The diverse nutrient composition of meat makes it an ideal environment for the growth and propagation of meat spoilage microorganisms and common foodborne pathogens. There are two approaches to inactivate microorganisms under chilling conditions; the first one is to change the environmental conditions, and the other is to decrease tolerance of the microorganisms. Ionizing radiation has been a method of direct microbial inhibition for preserving meat and meat products since 1940. The development of refrigeration had more impact on meat preservation than any other technological advancement.
