Animal meat is classified according to several parameters: the type of slaughtered livestock, the age of the animal, its fatness, and the level of heat treatment.
By type of slaughtered animals The following types of meat are distinguished: beef, lamb, goat, pork, horse meat, venison, rabbit. They also produce meat from wild animals: elk, roe deer, bears, wapiti, wild boar, etc.
Beef
Beef is primarily divided into meat from adult animals (cows, oxen, heifers over 3 years old, bulls), meat from first-calf cows, meat from young animals (bulls, heifers) and veal (from 14 days to 3 years). The product obtained from cows and oxen has a red or dark red color, a large deposit of subcutaneous fat of white and yellowish color. The muscle structure is tender, dense, fine-grained, with thin layers of fat - such meat is called “marbled”. Young beef is pinkish-red in color, fine-grained, with a dense and crumbly white fat layer, with virtually no marbling. Calf meat has muscles from light pink to grayish-pink in color, delicate structure, subcutaneous fat is almost absent, internal fat is dense, white or pale pink. In the food industry, veal and young meat are intended for frying, beef - for making broths and soups, with the exception of tender parts suitable for frying.
Mutton
Lamb from young animals is light red in color, the structure of the meat is tender, the muscles are fine-grained, there is no marbling, the subcutaneous and internal fat is white, dense, crumbly. The meat of adult sheep is brick-red, coarse, with a peculiar aroma, the fat layer is white and refractory. The best meat is considered to be young meat under the age of one year. Lamb is used as food in goulash, stews, pilaf, soups, as well as in the form of kebabs and chops.
Pork
Pig meat is divided according to age into pork, gilt meat and milk pig meat. Pork is obtained from adults with a slaughter weight of more than 34 kg. Its color ranges from light pink to red, the muscles are tender, with marbling, the internal fat is white, the subcutaneous fat is pinkish. Gilt meat is obtained from young pigs with a slaughter weight of 12 to 38 kg. It is more tender than pork and has a pale pinkish tint. Meat from dairy pigs is obtained from animals with a slaughter weight of 3 to 6 kg. It has very delicate muscles and its color ranges from pink to almost white. Pork is used for a wide range of meat dishes, including national cuisine many countries.
Thermally classified meat as follows: cooled, chilled, frozen, frozen.
Cooled is a product that has been cooled to a temperature not exceeding 12°C, with a dry crust and elastic consistency and aroma.
Chilled - A product from t° 0 to -4°C, which has a drying crust that is denser than that of chilled meat, but also has an elastic consistency.
Frozen is a product that has a temperature in the thigh at a depth of 1 cm from -3 to -5 ° C, and in the layer of thigh muscles at a depth of 6 cm - from 0 to -2 ° C. During storage, the temperature throughout the half carcass should be from -2 to -3° C. Has a weak aroma.
Frozen meat is a product that has been frozen to a temperature not exceeding -8° C, has a dense structure, and is odorless. Before use, frozen and frozen meat is thawed. It is recommended to defrost the product gradually at a temperature of 0 to 8 ° C, since the resulting meat juice will be more fully absorbed by muscle cells and the loss of nutrients will be minimal.
According to the degree of fatness meat is divided into various categories depending on the type of product. Fatness categories are determined by the level of muscle development, the amount of fat deposits, and the degree of bone protrusion.
Beef and lamb are divided into two categories based on fatness - I and II.
Beef category I characterized by well-developed muscles; the spinous parts of the vertebrae, the ischial tuberosities and vertebrae are not clearly visible; subcutaneous fat covers the body from the eighth rib to the ischial tuberosities, significant gaps are allowed; the neck, shoulder blades, front ribs, hips, pelvic cavity and groin area also have small body fat Beef of category I (from bulls) has well-developed muscles, the scapulocervical lobe and pelvis are moderately convex, the spinous parts of the vertebrae do not protrude.
U beef category II the muscles are slightly less developed, the hips have depressions; the spinous parts of the vertebrae, the ischial tuberosities and pelvis protrude, small fat deposits are present in the area of the ischial tuberosities, lower back and last ribs. Beef of category II (from bulls) has moderately developed muscles, the scapulocervical lobe and pelvis are not convex enough, the shoulder blades and pelvis protrude.
Beef of category I from young animals has well-developed muscle tissue, shoulder blades without depressions, hips not tucked up, spinous parts of the vertebrae, ischial tuberosities and vertebrae slightly protruding. Carcass weight (in kg): from selected young animals - over 230; 1st class - over 195 to 230; 2nd class - over 168 to 195; 3rd class - 168 or less.
Beef from young animals of category II has well-developed muscles, the spinous parts of the vertebrae, the ischial tuberosities and vertebrae are clearly visible.
Veal I category from dairy calves it has satisfactorily developed muscles of a pinkish color. Fat accumulations are located in the area of the kidneys and pelvic cavity, on the ribs and in places on the hips; the spinous parts of the dorsal and lumbar vertebrae do not protrude.
Veal II category from calves that received additional feeding, the muscles are less well developed, pink in color, there are insignificant amounts of fat in the kidney and pelvic area. The spinous parts of the dorsal and lumbar vertebrae protrude slightly.
Lamb I category has satisfactorily developed muscles, slightly protruding spinous parts of the vertebrae in the back and withers, and a thin layer of subcutaneous fat on the back and lower back, as well as on the ribs. Clearances are allowed in the sacrum and pelvis area.
According to the degree of fatness, pig meat is divided into five categories.
Pork I category(bacon) has well-developed muscle tissue, especially on the dorsal and hip parts, dense fat of white or slightly pinkish color, which is evenly distributed along the entire length of the half carcass with a thickness of 1.5 to 3.5 cm. The weight of the carcass is from 53 to 72 kg.
Pork II category(meat - young animals) weighs from 39 to 86 kg with skin, from 34 to 76 kg without skin, from 37 to 80 kg without croup. The thickness of fat for all carcasses is from 1.5 to 4.0 cm. This category also includes gilt meat in carcasses weighing from 12 to 38 kg with skin and weighing from 10 to 33 kg without skin with a fat thickness of 1.0 cm or more and trimmed pork.
Pork IV category(industrial processing) - carcasses weighing 90 kg without skin, weighing over 98 kg with skin, weighing over 91 kg without croup. The thickness of the fat in all carcasses is from 1.5 cm to 4.0 cm. Carcasses with skin are produced together with the hind limbs.
Pork category V(pig meat) - these are carcasses of dairy pigs from 3 to 6 kg. They should have white or pinkish skin without bruises or wounds; the spinous parts of the dorsal vertebrae and ribs do not protrude.
The food industry uses pork of categories I and V and gilt carcasses with skin of category II, pork of categories II and III without skin or with the croup removed, as well as trimmed pork.
Meat that does not meet production standards, frozen more than once, with stripping of bruises and bruises, stripping of subcutaneous fat and muscle tissue, changed color, frozen or frozen for veal and pork of category IV is used for industrial processing.
Meat- a carcass or part of a carcass obtained from the slaughter of livestock, representing a combination of tissues - muscle, connective (loose and dense), fat, and bone (or without).
Livestock for slaughter include: cattle, pigs, small cattle, horses, buffaloes, camels, reindeer, yaks. A significant share in the total volume of meat production is occupied by poultry meat. The meat of other domestic and wild animals is sold: rabbits, wild boars, wild ungulates, bears, wild reindeer, as well as game birds. Frog legs are imported from European countries.
Meat is a first-class source of protein, i.e., containing all essential amino acids in significant quantities and in a ratio favorable to the body’s needs. In terms of the amino acid composition of proteins, muscle tissue of different types of meat differs little.
At the same time, rabbit meat, for example, is superior to beef muscle tissue in terms of the content of essential amino acids: lysine, tryptophan, threonine.
The biological value of meat proteins, determined by biological methods (which are based on an assessment of the growth rate of experimental animals), is very high. It is significantly higher than the biological value of milk casein, which is accepted as the standard.
In terms of the speed of digestion by proteolytic enzymes, meat ranks second (after fish and dairy).
The main ones, the source of which is meat, are found in muscle tissue. These are B vitamins. Thiamine (vitamin B 1) is found in various types of meat in an amount of 0.1-0.2 mg/%. Lean pork is one of the first among all food products in terms of the content of this vitamin (0.6-0.8 mg%). However, meat and meat products are not the main source of thiamine for humans. When cooking meat, 25-30% of this vitamin is lost. Losses are especially high in the production of canned food.
Relatively high content of niacin (vitamin PP) in meat (4.8 mg/%). This vitamin in the human body can be synthesized from tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is found in sufficient quantities in meat. Meat and other products of animal origin, along with grain and flour products, are a source of vitamin PP for humans.
Pyridoxine (vitamin B 6) is found in meat in significant quantities and it, along with grain and flour products and fish, is a source of this vitamin for humans.
Meat products (together with fish) are the main source of vitamin B 12 (cyanocobalamin) for humans. IN plant products it is not contained, and milk contains little of it. The content of this vitamin is very high in the liver and kidneys. Meat contains significant amounts of pantothenic acid, biotin, and choline.
The muscle tissue of meat contains an average of 1.1% minerals. Meat is relatively low in macronutrients such as calcium and magnesium and relatively high in phosphorus. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus is 1:18, which is far from optimal (1:1.5). The potassium content in meat is on average 250-350 mg%. Despite the relatively high potassium content in meat, it is not the main source of this important macronutrient, since, for example, potatoes and legumes have a much higher potassium content.
Meat and meat products are the main source of iron for humans. Heme iron meat products is well absorbed, which makes it advisable to use meat and meat products for anemia. Meat is the main source of the microelement zinc, the deficiency of which retards growth and sexual development in children.
The content of polyunsaturated fatty acids with high biological activity (linoleic and arachidonic) in beef and lamb fat is relatively small - 3-5% of all fatty acids, in pork fat - 4-13%, rabbit and horse fat - 18-25%. Beef fat contains vitamin A and b-carotene, pork fat There is 10 times less vitamin A, and pork and lamb fat practically do not contain carotene, which has antioxidant properties. This explains the lower storage stability of frozen lamb compared to beef. All animal fats have a low vitamin E content compared to vegetable fats. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, therefore vegetable fats more resistant to oxidative deterioration than animals.
The melting point of meat fat depends on the fatty acid composition and is for external fat: lamb - 44-55°C, beef - 40-52°C, pork - 33-46°C, rabbit and horse on average 22°C.
Cholesterol is found in relatively small amounts in the adipose tissue of meat and in meat in general. High cholesterol content is observed in offal (brains - 2%, liver and kidneys - 0.3%). Meat can be considered a source of phospholipids. A high content of phospholipids has been found in certain types of poultry, rabbit meat, and offal, especially poultry.
The nutritional value of different types of meat is determined to a large extent by the ratio of its constituent tissues (muscle, connective: loose and dense, fat, bone). The composition of tissues also varies depending on the type of meat.
In terms of vitamin content, beef and lamb differ little; pork has 6-8 times more vitamin B1 and less vitamin B12. Rabbit meat has a high content of vitamin B 12 (1.5 times higher than beef). The iron content is higher in camel meat, rabbit meat, veal, and beef. Lamb contains on average 1.5 times less purine substances compared to beef and pork and can be used in medical nutrition.
The ratio of tissues in the main types of meat. Characteristics of fabrics
The approximate relative tissue content of various types of meat is presented in table. 16.
Muscle. The muscle tissue of meat, which forms the basis of muscles, is the most valuable. It contains almost all the complete meat proteins. Muscle tissue contains about 70% water, 18-20% proteins, 1.5-2.5% extractives (nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous), 1.1% minerals.
Extractive substances stimulate gastric secretion, have a stimulating effect on the central nervous system. Among them are purine bases, which are undesirable in some diseases. Extractive substances are involved in the formation of the taste and aromatic properties of meat dishes.
Table 16
The ratio of tissues in different types of meat
(% of the weight of the dressed carcass)
Connective tissue meat forms ligaments, tendons, shells of bundles of fibers and muscles (dense) or is located between muscles and organs (loose). Connective tissue increases the toughness of meat. The basis of connective tissue is made up of defective proteins collagen and elastin.
Collagen raw meat difficult to attack by digestive enzymes. During heat treatment, it undergoes welding, thereby losing mechanical strength and being better absorbed. When heated for a long time in the presence of water, collagen turns into gelatin, soluble in warm and hot water. When cooled, the gelatin solution forms a gel (jelly). The resistance of collagen to hydrothermal breakdown depends on the type of meat, the age of the animal, the part of the carcass and the degree of grinding of the meat. Elastin does not change during heat treatment of meat, its nutritional value is 0. Although the biological value of collagen is low, it, when cooked, as well as gelatin, have many useful properties: they actively affect digestion, stimulate intestinal motility, and promote wound healing; recommended in the diet of patients with hypertension and internal hemorrhages.
After slaughter of an animal, the properties of tissues, especially muscle and connective tissue, change, which affects its nutritional value and technological properties. Changes under the influence of tissue's own enzymes are called autolytic.
The change in the properties of meat can be traced using the example of beef stored at 0°C. The first 2-3 hours after slaughter, the temperature of the meat is in the range of 36-38°C. During this period, the meat is called fresh and it has the following properties: Muscles are relaxed, moisture-binding capacity and tenderness are the highest. When cooking meat, the broth becomes cloudy and has no flavor.
5-6 hours after slaughter, the first signs of rigor mortis begin to appear in the neck muscles, which become tense and hard. After 12-24 hours, complete rigor sets in and lasts up to 2-3 days if the meat is obtained from a healthy, well-fed animal. Meat at this stage of autolytic changes is characterized by the following indicators: the stiffness is greatest, both in raw and in thermally processed meat; moisture-binding capacity is low - when cutting such meat, meat juice may be released; meat proteins are difficult to digest by digestive enzymes; When cooking meat, the broth is clear and not aromatic.
2-3 days after slaughter, rigor mortis resolves, the muscles relax, and the toughness of the meat decreases sharply. With further storage of meat for up to 7-12 days, there is a gradual increase in tenderness and an increase in the moisture-binding capacity of meat, an improvement in the taste and aromatic properties of meat dishes - the meat passes into a ripened state.
Classification of meat from slaughtered animals. Retail dressing
Nutritional value, technological properties, commercial quality of meat depend on the type of animal, its breed, sex, age, fatness, pre-slaughter condition, origin - anatomical part of the carcass, thermal state, etc. The main types of meat are cattle meat (beef), pork , mutton.
Cattle meat divided according to the age of the animals into: veal (from 14 days to 3 months GOST 16867-71 “Meat and veal in carcasses and half-carcasses”); beef from young animals (from 3 months to 3 years) and beef from adult animals over 3 years old (GOST 779-55 “Meat-beef in half-carcasses and quarters. Specifications"). Meat from adult animals is divided by gender: beef from cows and oxen and beef from bulls (uncastrated males). Beef is divided into two categories based on fatness. Fatness is determined by the degree of development of muscle tissue (protrusion of bones) and the presence of fat deposits. Veal by fatness is divided into two categories: the first (milk) and the second. Veal of the first category is obtained from dairy calves that have not received additional feeding (fed with milk).
Beef from young animals in half-carcasses and quarters from the meat of adult animals can be distinguished by the following characteristics: the fat of young animals is white, in adult animals it is yellowish to yellow; the granularity of the muscles in adult animals becomes distinct; the color of muscle tissue is darker. More precisely, the age of the animal from the carcass is determined by the degree of ossification of the cartilage on the spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae, scapular cartilage, and cartilaginous layers between the segments of the thoracic and sacral bones.
Meat with fatness indicators below the requirements for the 2nd fatness category is classified as lean.
Beef is released for sale in the form of longitudinal carcasses or quarters, without tenderloin (internal lumbar-iliac muscles). The half carcass is divided into quarters between the 11th and 12th ribs. The weight of a half carcass from young animals must be at least 100 kg. For retail trade, beef is cut into separate cuts according to the schemes presented in Fig. 12. Cuts are divided into I, II, III grade.
Rice. 12. Beef cutting scheme for retail:
I grade: 1 - hip; 2 - lumbar; 3 - dorsal; 4 - scapular (shoulder blade, shoulder edge); 5 - shoulder (shoulder part and part of the forearm); 6 - chest;
II grade: 7 - cervical; 8 - flank;
III grade: 9 - cut; 10 - front shank; 11 - hind shank.
Pork has distinctive features: the muscles are light pink, fine grain, pronounced marbling. In raw meat, the smell of decomposing urine is present only in boars; when cooked, it is more pronounced. Boar fat also has a specific unpleasant odor, which intensifies when heat treatment.
Pork (GOST 7724-77 "Meat. Pork in carcasses and half-carcasses. Technical conditions") according to the age of the animals is divided into meat of dairy pigs, gilts, and meat of adult animals. Based on the sex of the animals, pork is divided into meat from pigs and hogs and meat from boars (uncastrated males weighing more than 20 kg). Pork is divided into five categories (mainly based on the weight of the carcass in the paired state and the thickness of the backfat above the spinous processes between the 6th and 7th dorsal vertebrae).
Pork categories: first (bacon), second (young meat), third (fat), fourth (industrial processing), fifth (pig meat). Bacon pork is obtained by special fattening of bacon breeds of pigs. The weight of the carcass is from 53 to 72 kg in the skin, the thickness of the backfat is from 1.5 to 3.5 cm. Strict requirements are imposed on the development of muscle tissue, the condition of the skin and some other indicators. Bacon pork is the best raw material for delicious salted and smoked products. The second category has a back fat thickness of 1.5 to 4 cm. This is meat from young animals: carcass weight with skin from 39 to 98 kg, without skin - from 34 to 90 kg inclusive. Carcasses of the fatty (third) category have unlimited weight, the thickness of the fat is from 4.1 cm or more. The weight of carcasses of pigs of the fourth category is over 90 kg without skin and over 98 kg with skin, the thickness of the back fat is from 1.5 to 4 cm. Pork of the fourth category is not sold in retail trade, but is used for industrial processing, since the meat is tougher. Meat of dairy pigs has a carcass weight of 3 to 6 kg in skin with head and legs (without internal organs). There are strict requirements for the skin.
Pork is produced in the form of longitudinal half carcasses. Without dividing into half carcasses, it is allowed to produce pork with a carcass weight in the skin of less than 39 kg and without skin of less than 34 kg. Pork of the fifth category is produced whole carcasses, with head and legs, without internal organs.
A diagram of pork cutting for retail trade is shown in Fig. 13. Cuts are divided into grades I and II.
Rice. 13. Scheme of pork cutting for retail:
Grade I: 1 - shoulder, 2 - back (loin), 3 - brisket, 4 - lumbar with flank, 5 - ham;
Grade II: 6 - forearm (knuckle), 7 - shank.
Lamb and goat meat(GOST 1935-55 “Lamb and goat meat in carcasses”) is divided into two categories based on fatness. Fatness is determined by the degree of development of muscle tissue and subcutaneous fat. Meat from small ruminants is not classified according to gender and age. But in practice, lamb is isolated (from animals aged from 14 days to three months).
Lamb and goat meat are released for sale as whole carcasses with tails (except for fat-tailed sheep) and separated legs.
Lamb and goat carcasses are released for sale with the presence of kidneys and perinephric fat. Carcasses without tails, kidneys and perinephric fat may be released for sale.
The scheme for cutting lamb and goat meat for retail trade is shown in Fig. 14. Cuts are divided into grades I and II.
Rice. 14. Scheme for cutting lamb for retail:
I grade: 1 - hip, 2 - lumbar, 3 - scapular-dorsal (including brisket
and neck);
Grade II: 4 - cut, 5 - forearm, 6 - upper shank.
According to the thermal state, meat of all types is divided into chilled, cooled to a temperature in the thickness of the muscles from 0 to plus 4 ° C; frozen, subjected to freezing to a temperature in the thickness of the muscles not higher than minus 8°C; cooled - cooled after cutting carcasses to a temperature not higher than plus 12°C (for rabbits not higher than plus 25°C). Beef and pork are produced in a frozen state - after freezing, the temperature in the thigh at a depth of 1 cm is minus 3 - minus 5°C, and in the thickness of the thigh muscles is 0 - plus 2°C. During storage, the temperature throughout the entire volume of the half-carcass should be minus 2 - minus 3°C.
It is not sold, but is used for industrial processing for food purposes: meat of uncastrated males (bulls, boars, stallions, etc.); lean meat (having fatness indicators below standard requirements), frozen and frozen more than once.
Meat quality requirements
Requirements for technological processing indicators. On carcasses, half-carcasses, quarters of meat, as well as in meat frozen in blocks released for sale, industrial processing and storage, the presence of remains of internal organs, bruises, blood clots, fringes, bruises, and contamination is not allowed. The pork skin should have no remaining bristles. Ice and snow are not allowed on frozen or frozen meat.
The meat should be well bled. Poorly bled meat has a dark color; during test cooking, a cloudy broth is obtained with an abundance of small brown flakes, which then form a sediment. Poorly bled meat, stored frozen for a long time, produces a cloudy, dark-gray broth when test-cooked. Poorly bled meat quickly undergoes microbial spoilage, since blood is a favorable environment for the development of microorganisms.
Meat frozen more than once has a darkened surface color, as well as a changed color of connective and fatty tissue due to leaking meat juice. The cut surface of repeatedly frozen meat is dark red, while that of once frozen meat is pinkish-red. When a finger or a warm knife touches this surface, re-frozen meat does not experience a noticeable change in color, but once-frozen meat a bright red spot appears at the point of contact.
A significant portion of imported meat comes in the form of boneless cuts, packaged in plastic film and cardboard boxes. In such meat and meat frozen in blocks, additional signs of re-freezing are: the presence of frost on the surface of the meat under the polymer film and frozen meat juice on the underside of the cut or block.
For sale in trade and public catering, deformed carcasses and half-carcasses of pork, pork of the fourth category with yellowed backfat, and gilts without skin are not allowed.
Meat with stripping and removal of subcutaneous fat exceeding 15% of the surface of a beef half or quarter, and 10% of the surface of a lamb carcass is sent for industrial processing and public catering. The same direction of use is for pork with stripping of bruises and bruises exceeding 10% of the surface or with subcutaneous fat stripping over an area of more than 15% of the surface of the half or quarter.
Meat is sent to industrial processing and public catering in half-carcasses with incorrect division along the spine (leaving whole vertebral bodies or crushing them); beef and lamb are fresh, but with darkening in the neck area. The muscles of the neck are dark in color due to the increased content of myoglobin in the muscle tissue of the working muscles. In addition, during the slaughter of livestock, the capillaries of the neck are filled with blood, which is not removed during bleeding. When pigments oxidize, the muscles darken even more.
Requirements for meat quality in terms of freshness. During the post-slaughter period, autolytic, microbial and chemical processes can occur in meat, which lead to deterioration in the quality of meat or its spoilage. According to freshness indicators, meat is distinguished between fresh, questionable freshness and stale meat. Fresh meat is sent for sale and used for industrial processing. Meat of questionable freshness is not accepted for sale in trade and public catering. By decision of the veterinary and sanitary service authorities, it can be sent for industrial processing. Stale meat is destroyed or disposed of.
Meat of questionable freshness includes meat with signs of mucus on the surface without any foreign odor; with signs of mold at the initial stage (focal mold colonies); with a slightly sour odor or a hint of mustiness. If these changes are present, other signs of quality deterioration are also detected. Detailed characteristics of organoleptic indicators for fresh, questionable freshness and not fresh meat presented in GOST.
Requirements for meat quality according to safety indicators. For chilled and frozen meat of slaughtered and wild animals, uniform standards for the content of toxic elements (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, copper, zinc) have been established; antibiotics (except wild meat); nitrosoamines (the sum of nitrosodimethylamine and nitrosodiethylamine); pesticides (hexachlorocyclohexane - a-, b-, g-isomers, DDT and its metabolites). Standards for the content of radionuclides (cesium-137 and strontium-90) differ for the pulpy tissues of meat, bones, as well as for the meat of agricultural and wild animals.
The quality of any type of meat is also assessed by microbiological indicators: KMAFAnM - the number of mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms; Coliform bacteria are coliform bacteria. The presence of pathogenic and opportunistic pathogens, including salmonella, is detected.
Storage and transportation of meat
When storing chilled meat, the main condition that determines its storage time is to prevent the development of microorganisms in the meat, which, depending on various factors, can cause profound changes. chemical composition, organoleptic properties, microstructure of meat - arise different kinds damage.
Chemical processes (mainly transformations in pigments and lipids) due to the short shelf life of chilled meat do not lead to a significant decrease in its quality. The processes underlying the transformation of meat color are of great practical importance during its storage and sale, as well as when choosing a method of packaging meat and selecting modified gaseous media used during storage to extend its shelf life.
Evaporation of moisture from meat during cooling and subsequent storage leads to weight loss valuable product. The norms of natural loss during cooling of first category beef are 1.16-1.65%. During its subsequent storage in half-carcasses and quarters, the shrinkage is also very significant and amounts to 0.58% (when stored in refrigerators for 3 days). When selling chilled beef in retail trade, the rate of natural loss ranges from 0.58 to 0.7%, depending on the climate zone and the group of the retail enterprise. Actual shrinkage often exceeds established standards.
Chilled meat is stored in industrial and commercial refrigerators in accordance with the requirements of current technological instructions. Meat is stored suspended in chambers with moderate air movement (0.2-0.3 m/s). Half carcasses and quarters are placed on overhead tracks of storage chambers without contact between them. Relative air humidity 85-90%. Beef is stored at a temperature from 0 to minus 1.5 ° C - 10-16 days; lamb and goat meat - at a temperature of minus 1°C - up to 12 days; pork at a temperature from 0 to minus 2°C - 7-14 days; veal - at a temperature of 0 to 2°C - up to 12 days; horse meat at minus 1°C - up to 16 days; foal at 0°C - up to 12 days. Chilled rabbit meat is stored at a temperature of 0 to plus 2°C and a relative humidity of 80-85% for no more than 5 days. Frozen meat (all types) is stored in refrigerators in a stack or in a suspended state at minus 2°C and a relative air humidity of at least 90% for up to 20 days.
The shelf life of all types of chilled meat is established taking into account transportation. Depending on the general condition of the meat, shelf life may be changed.
In stores, chilled meat in carcasses and half-carcasses is stored suspended on hooks so that the carcasses do not come into contact with each other, with the walls and floor of the room.
Chilled meat in one-city traffic is transported by isothermal and refrigerated transport; for intercity communication - refrigerated transport (railway, road). The air temperature in the cargo area of refrigerated transport before loading should be plus 2-0°C; along the route from 0 to minus 3°C. Chilled meat is loaded into wagons and refrigerated trucks only by hanging it on hooks. Carcasses, half-carcases and quarters must not come into contact with each other, with the floor or walls of the carriage. The half-carcasses must be hung in such a way that their inner sides face the end walls of the car or refrigerated truck body. Half-carcasses or quarters of beef of large mass are hung on hooks in a checkerboard pattern.
When freezing and long-term low-temperature storage of meat, the development of microorganisms in it is suppressed and biochemical, physical and chemical processes are slowed down. The death of some microorganisms occurs both during freezing and during further storage of frozen meat. It should be borne in mind that the activity of the enzymes of the dead microflora is preserved. The main process causing a decrease in the quality of frozen meat during storage is lipid oxidation. As a result of chemical and biochemical processes, there is a loss of vitamins, coagulation changes in proteins, the formation of protein-lipid complexes, and hydrolytic breakdown of proteins and fats. As a result, the nutritional value of meat decreases, organoleptic characteristics and technological properties deteriorate. Physical processes have a negative impact on the quality of meat: recrystallization (change in the structure of ice) with temperature fluctuations and sublimation of ice. As a result of ice sublimation, there is a loss of mass and a decrease in the quality of meat in the surface layer not covered with fat. This layer gradually becomes partially dehydrated, spongy, due to the sublimation of ice, with a large contact surface, which causes high activity of oxidative processes in it and a sharp decrease in quality. Packing meat in polymer films, including inexpensive polyethylene, can significantly reduce the sublimation of ice, provided that the film adheres tightly to the surface of the product. Most often, such packaging is used for meat and offal in blocks.
Meat frozen by a single-phase or two-phase method and stored should have a temperature in the thickness of the thigh no higher than minus 8 ° C, and on the surface - close to the air temperature in the freezer.
The air temperature in frozen meat storage rooms should be no higher than minus 12°C (normally minus 18 and minus 20°C), and the relative air humidity should be 95-98%. Air circulation is moderate (0.2-0.3 m/s).
To maintain high relative humidity, it is recommended to cover stacks of meat with fabrics and apply a layer of ice glaze, or screen the cooling devices of storage chambers with ice screens, or pour snow on the floor of the chamber under the stack and other measures.
Veterinary branding and merchandising labeling of meat
Meat and offal of all types of agricultural and wild animals are subject to mandatory branding with veterinary brands and stamps. Meat is allowed for acceptance only if it has a veterinary brand and a veterinary certificate (form 2). An oval-shaped veterinary stamp confirms that the veterinary and sanitary examination of meat and meat products has been carried out in full and the product is released for food purposes without restrictions. The oval-shaped veterinary mark has three pairs of numbers in the center: the first of them indicates the serial number of the republic within the Russian Federation, territory, region, cities of Moscow, St. Petersburg; the second is the serial number of the district (city) and the third is the serial number of the institution, organization, enterprise. At the top of the stamp there is the inscription “Russian Federation”, at the bottom - “Gosvetnadzor”. Smaller oval veterinary marks are placed on the carcasses of rabbits and nutria. Branding of meat and meat products with an oval brand is carried out by veterinarians and veterinary paramedics who are on staff of organizations and institutions of the state veterinary network, who have passed certification and received official permission from the state veterinary inspector of the region (city).
Meat obtained from animals that have undergone ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection and killed in farms free from quarantine diseases is branded with a rectangular veterinary mark, which does not give the right to sell the meat without a full veterinary examination. A rectangular veterinary stamp has the inscription “Veterinary Service” at the top, “Preliminary examination” in the center, and three pairs of numbers at the bottom (as in an oval stamp). Carcasses and half-carcasses with the rectangular stamp “Preliminary inspection” are sent for a full veterinary examination.
Conditionally suitable meat (the use of which for food purposes is allowed after neutralization) is branded with stamps, in the center of which the type of meat neutralization is indicated, at the top there is the inscription “Veterinary Service”, at the bottom there are three pairs of numbers. Conditionally acceptable meat is not sold. An oval veterinary mark is not placed on such meat. Additional stamps (next to the veterinary mark) are used to mark types of meat such as horse meat, camel meat, venison, bear meat, etc. These stamps are rectangular in shape and only indicate the type of meat.
Impressions of veterinary brands and stamps are placed in the following order: on meat carcasses and half-carcasses - one in the area of each shoulder blade and thigh; for quarters - one brand; Two marks are placed on the carcasses of rabbits and nutria (on the shoulder blade and the outer side of the thigh); in veterinary examination laboratories for the heart, head, tongue, liver, lungs, kidneys - one mark each.
Meat that has changed its veterinary and sanitary characteristics as a result of violation of storage or transportation conditions is subject to repeated veterinary examination and re-branding with the application of appropriate stamps with the preliminary removal of oval-shaped stamp impressions.
Commodity marking of meat is carried out in the presence of a brand or stamp of the State Veterinary Service.
Beef, young beef, veal, lamb, and goat meat of the first category are marked with a round mark, of the second category with a square mark, and lean meat with a triangular mark. On half-carcasses of bulls, the letter “B” is stamped inside, and for boars, the stamp “Boar-PP” is stamped on the shoulder part. On carcasses (half carcasses) of calves, the letter “T” is stamped inside the brand; on the carcasses of lambs there are the letters “I”.
The stamp of the letter “M” is placed to the right of the fatness mark (beef from young animals); for goat meat, the stamp of the letter “K” is placed. On half-carcasses (carcasses) of all types of meat (except rabbits) with defects in technological processing, the letters “PP” are stamped to the right of the brand.
Depending on the category, pork is marked: the first category - with a round mark, the second - square, the third - oval, the fourth - triangular, and those that do not meet the fatness requirements - with a diamond-shaped mark. A plywood tag with a round stamp with the letter “M” stamped inside is tied to the piglet carcasses (to the hind leg) with twine.
Brands are placed in the following order: on beef half-carcasses of the first and second categories, two brands are placed - on the shoulder and thigh parts. On carcasses of veal, lamb, goat, lamb, and gilts in the skin, a brand is placed on the shoulder part on one side of the carcass. On half-carcasses of veal and pork (except for gilts with skin and piglets), fatness marks are placed on the shoulder part.
Classification of meat products
Meat products include:
- meat of slaughtered animals (clause 11.1);
- offal - secondary products of livestock slaughter (liver, heart, kidneys, tongue, lung, brains, stomach, head, tails, etc.);
- poultry meat (broilers, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, etc.);
- semi-finished meat products (natural - schnitzel, stew, azu, entrecote, goulash, etc.; chopped - steaks, cutlets, meatballs; breaded - chops, schnitzels, rump steaks; dumplings; minced meat);
- culinary meat products - meat products subjected to different types culinary processing (boiled, baked, fried, smoked, etc.);
- quick frozen ready meals- meat products made from natural or minced meat in combination with side dishes (cereals, vegetables, potatoes) or without them;
- smoked meats - large-piece meat products subjected to salting and heat treatment until ready for consumption (hams, rolls, various smoked meats - brisket, bacon, boiled pork, carbonate, loin, etc.);
- sausages - meat products from minced sausage in casing or without it, subjected to heat treatment or fermentation until ready for consumption (sausages - boiled, half-smoked, boiled-smoked, raw smoked, stuffed, liver, blood sausages and sausages; brawns; meat loaves ; pastes; jellies);
- canned meat - products made from meat and meat products or in combination with other food products(cereals, vegetables), hermetically sealed and sterilized.
It so happens that for our body, the main source of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals, is meat.
Most of us prepare various, delicious meat dishes from lamb, pork, beef, rabbit...
Poultry meat (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, quails and others), as well as all kinds of meat by-products (heart, liver, lung, raw, tongue) are very popular in cooking.
Meat is currently not a cheap product. Therefore, the choice of meat should be approached especially responsibly. And now you will learn how to choose meat.
WHAT ARE MEATS?
Meat classification:
- by appearance(pork, poultry, lamb, beef, veal, rabbit, horse meat, venison, etc.).
- by processing method(steamed, cooled, chilled, frozen):
doubles– this is meat cut within 3 hours after slaughter. It tastes hard, with a specific smell and taste - for this reason it is not used for cooking.
For storage, it is necessary to keep the meat in the refrigerator as a whole piece, without cutting, for at least 3 days, after wrapping the meat in cotton cloth (waffle towel). You should not put meat in a plastic bag to avoid the development of bacteria;
cooled down– this is meat aged from 3 to 24 hours (but no more) from the moment of cutting. After this time, the meat is cooled or frozen;
chilled– this is a product cooled at a temperature from 0 to -4 degrees in refrigeration chambers. Can be stored for no more than 48 hours;
frozen- This is a product that has been frozen within 30-40 degrees below zero in freezers.
Vacation form on sale
by weight- meat is sold chilled and frozen;
packaged- these are pieces of meat of 500-1000 g, prepared at meat processing plants.
semi-finished products These are standard individual portions. In most cases - chilled meat (minced meat, fillet, preparations for barbecue, etc.).
Selecting meat by type of animal
Bird- these are chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, roosters.
The skin is smooth, without feathers and without noticeable damage.
The carcass is dry and elastic.
The cut meat and skin are slightly moist.
The beak is shiny.
A young bird has soft and white skin and light-colored fat.
An old bird has rough and yellow skin and yellow fat.
The skin of the rooster is slightly bluish in color and thinner compared to the chicken. There are spurs on the legs.
Meat geese And ducks has a red color (chickens and turkeys have a pale pink tint).
Pork- this is the meat of pigs, up to 8-10 months of age:
Piglets, weight 1.3-12 kg;
Gilts, weight 12-34 kg;
Pork, slaughter weight after 34 kg.
The color of the pork is pink-red.
The color of the lard is white or cream throughout its entire thickness.
Lymph nodes are light in color and not swollen.
The older the animal, the darker the meat.
Veal- This is the meat of a young cow. Age from 2 weeks to 3 months.
Color – light pink.
The lighter the meat, the younger the animal.
The color of the fat layers is white.
Beef- the meat of cattle (bulls, cows, heifers, steers and oxen). Age from 3 months.
The color of the meat is red.
The color of the fat layers is white, yellow or cream.
The color of stale meat is dark, closer to brown.
Rabbit meat– considered one of the most nutritious and healthy. It belongs to white meat varieties and is dietary.
The most useful is considered to be a young rabbit, aged from 3 to 5 months. Therefore, when purchasing, give preference to a carcass weighing no more than 1-1.5 kg.
The color of the meat ranges from light pink to dark pink. The darker the meat, the older the rabbit.
The bones are intact, without fractures.
The carcass should have no bruises or skin residues.
The rabbit is not young - the bones are not very thin, the meat is coarse, and there is a lot of fat.
The carcass should have one paw with fur and claws or a fluffy tail.
The price of a young animal is slightly higher than that of an old one.
Mutton– meat of rams and sheep:
Young castrated rams (up to 18 months);
Sheep not suitable for breeding (up to 1.5 years);
Fattened sheep no older than 3 years.
The color of the meat is light red.
Fat is white and elastic.
To the touch the meat is firm and elastic.
When choosing, you need to take into account the age of the animal:
The meat of young lambs is tender. Age up to 3 months.
Young lamb meat, even more tender, has a mild taste and is considered a delicacy. Age up to 8 weeks. Mostly born in January – March.
The smell of a young lamb is specific, not too pronounced (the smell of fresh milk).
The meat of an old or poorly fed animal is stringy, dark red (red-brown) in color, and the fat is yellow. It is better to eat it as minced meat. It has a strong specific smell (smells like animal urine).
When you press on meat that has been repeatedly frozen, it does not recover, may change color or fill with blood.
General rules for choosing meat
Smell - natural, without impurities and foreign shades.
By the look dry meat.
Fat dense and not sticky.
When pressed, the surface of the meat is quickly restored. This can be done with a fork or knife.
Shine It shouldn't be on the cut.
Bone marrow - V fresh product it fills the bone completely, does not smudge or leak.
Blot the surface of the meat with a napkin– there are no large wet marks left, therefore the meat is fresh.
Meat well bled, if there are no heavy traces of blood on the napkin.
Avoid meat lying in a puddle of water. It is better to give preference to slightly weathered than wet.
If the meat has bright color– it contains dyes.
Chilled meat, packed in a plastic tray and wrapped in cling film, should not lie in a puddle and have drips. Otherwise, this indicates that the integrity of the packaging and storage conditions were violated.
The product is re-frozen, if the ice crystals in frozen meat are pink.
The freshness of meat in vacuum packaging is determined by the color and data indicated on the packaging (packing date, shelf life).
The market has the freshest meat in the morning. In supermarkets everything is reversed; in the first half of the day they put out stale goods.
Unfortunately, these points do not always work... After all, beautiful-looking meat, young and fresh, can turn out to be tough and tasteless when cooked. After all, unscrupulous producers use low-quality feed and antibiotics as growth stimulants, and also “prick” meat. It’s impossible to determine all this by eye, although some people distinguish such meat by smell. It is also impossible to smell frozen meat. And beautiful meat on the outside may turn out to be rotten inside (decomposition has begun). The quality of such meat can be determined only after heat treatment (boiled meat will have a rotten smell).
NOT FRESH, SPOILED MEAT
Based on these signs, you can also determine that the product is spoiled:
Turbidity, sticky mucus, moisture that appears on the surface of the product is an indicator of the development of bacteria;
Burgundy-red and gray spots, pigmentation, blood clots indicate improper cooling of the product, storage of meat, improper storage and poor ventilation;
Gray color means that a special substance - myoglobin, contained in meat, was destroyed when heated;
If the fat has a pink tint, it means that the meat was soaked in potassium permanganate to give the product a fresh look;
If the meat has blurred edges, this is a sign that the product was soaked in a vinegar solution;
If you notice round lumps on the meat that look like millet grains, these are worm larvae. Also, if you hear a crunch when cutting meat, there may be worms in the meat.
If you have any doubts when choosing meat, it is better to refuse to buy it, as this can lead to dangerous consequences.
WHAT IS THE BEST BOARD TO CUT MEAT ON? AND WHAT KNIFE SHOULD I TAKE FOR THIS?
When choosing between a wooden board and a plastic one, give preference to the first.
After use, the wooden board should be washed with a stiff brush and a small amount of detergent. Dry at room temperature.
If the board is large and thick, it is necessary to remove the top layer from it from time to time using a plane.
Do not leave the board in water for a long time and do not dry it near the fire or in the oven - it can become severely deformed.
A knife for slicing steaks is best used with a long and wide blade. With this knife, you can easily cut a piece of steak in a few movements. The fewer cuts there are, the juicier the steak will be.
HOW TO DEFROST MEAT
Frozen meat should be thawed in advance. When accelerating the thawing process, many beneficial features meat is lost. It is better to leave the meat to defrost on its own.
It is better to start defrosting a day before. Place the meat in a deep bowl, cover with a wet towel and place it in the refrigerator, on a shelf where the temperature is kept at zero.
COOKING
1. Front part. Roasted in the oven, grilled like a barbecue (baked on a grill over coals, fried in a frying pan or quickly stir-fried over high heat).
2. Filet. Roasted in the oven, grilled like a barbecue (baked on a grill over coals, fried in a frying pan or quickly stir-fried over high heat).
3. Brisket. Roasted in the oven, baked in a pot and stewed.
4. Side. Roasted in the oven, baked in a pot and stewed.
5. Top part (tenderloin). Roasted in the oven, baked in a pot, stewed, cooked as a stew and stewed in the oven.
6. Beefsteak. It is baked in a pot, stewed, prepared as a stew and stewed in the oven.
7. Rump steak. Grilled like a barbecue (baked on a grill over coals, fried in a frying pan or quickly stir-fried over high heat).
8. Sirloin steak. Roasted in the oven, grilled like a barbecue (baked on a grill over coals, fried in a frying pan or quickly stir-fried over high heat).
9. Steak for frying. Baked in a pot and stewed, grilled like a barbecue (baked on a grill over coals, fried in a frying pan or quickly stir-fried over high heat).
10. Meat for stewing (cubes). It is baked in a pot, stewed, prepared as a stew and stewed in the oven.
11. Minced meat is small. Grilled like a barbecue (baked on a grill over coals, fried in a frying pan or quickly stir-fried over high heat).
12. Large minced meat. Grilled like a barbecue (baked on a grill over coals, fried in a frying pan or quickly stir-fried over high heat).
13. Tenderloin steak. Roasted in the oven, grilled like a barbecue (baked on a grill over coals, fried in a frying pan or quickly stir-fried over high heat).
14. Ham. Roasted in the oven, baked in a pot and stewed.
IMPORTANT ABOUT MEAT DISHES
People with inflammation of the duodenum, bile ducts in the liver, atherosclerosis and chronic kidney disease should be careful when consuming meat dishes.
IN pork meat contains more histamines (substances that cause allergic reactions) than other types of meat. Therefore, if you suffer from allergies of any origin, try to choose beef or poultry more often.
The maximum amount of meat that a healthy person can eat without harm to the body is 200 g per day.
The most optimal way to cook any meat is baking in the oven or on the grill.
During prolonged heat treatment, most useful substances liver is lost. It is advisable to only lightly fry it and serve it “rare”. Therefore, when they talk about the usefulness of liver, they mean veal and beef, because pork liver, in order to avoid infection with helminths, it is strictly forbidden to eat half-raw.
In conclusion, I would like to invite you to watch a video that shows how to buy quality meat.Now, armed with the knowledge of how to choose good fresh meat at the market, feel free to go shopping. And let the most appetizing and tempting smells come from your kitchen.
To understand which product falls into the meat category, you need to know the percentage of meat it contains. The proportion of muscle tissue should be at least 60% - this is the kind of product that can be called “meat”.
If this figure is less, the product goes into the “meat-containing” section, which comes in three categories:
- A – from 40 to 60%;
- B – from 20 to 40%;
- B – from 5 to 20%.
A product with minimal meat content is called vegetable-meat. When purchasing sausages, sausages and other food products, always look at the category indicated on the label. If you see the definition of “an analogue of a meat product,” say, on wholesale sausage, you should understand that the share of meat itself in this product is about 5%, although it tastes very much like the real thing. This is done for the sake of economy, and the minimum percentage is gained not only from lean meat, but also from blood, gelatin or offal.
Types of meat products
Thanks to the high nutritional value, the presence of vitamins and minerals, as well as excellent taste qualities, meat products are one of the most popular types of food and are produced in colossal volumes. There are many forms of release and recipes, so we will consider the main types of meat products:
- Semi-finished meat products . These are products that are stored frozen and chilled and prepared for subsequent culinary processing by the end consumer. The main advantage is saving time on preparation full meals. Minced meat, semi-finished poultry and offal products are well-known representatives of this niche.
- Sausages and sausages . These include boiled, raw smoked, semi-smoked types of sausages, which are prepared from minced meat, food additives and spices. Vivid examples of sausages are everyone's favorite sausages and small sausages.
- Canned meat . They have a long shelf life and are often used as a supply of food for a rainy day, or on hikes and expeditions, when problems may arise with obtaining fresh meat. Canned food can be made from any meat raw material or from offal. Stew is the most famous type of canned food.
- Meat delicacies . As a rule, they are purchased on holidays and are not included in a person’s daily diet. They can be either a separate dish or part of expensive snacks. Smoked pork and meat products in jelly are popular.
Pros and cons of smoked meat products
Smoked meat products have several advantages and disadvantages. When treated with smoke, germs and bacteria that cause rotting are destroyed. A powerful bactericidal effect is the main advantage of smoked meat.
The second important fact is that when smoking, excess cholesterol and fat do not appear, as when frying. Thirdly, foreign substances, for example, water, do not enter the meat product during cooking.
Smoking has one serious drawback. Smoke contains substances that increase the risk of developing cancer. To avoid this, experts have developed so-called “liquid smoke” - a substance in which the product is soaked and acquires the properties of smoked.
When purchasing any meat products, carefully look at the wording of the name, category and price. The most expensive product is not always the best. Give preference to natural products containing lean meat above 60%.