Meat Flashcards
Meats have high amounts of water and protein. True or False.
True
Why are meats ideal for microbial growth?
Meat is ideal for microbial growth because of the high amount of water.
Where should meat be stored?
In the fridge or freezer.
How long can meat be stored in the original wrap?
Up to 2 days
What happens after two days?
A moist surface forms that promotes bacteria growth
Raw meat should be cooked or frozen by _____ date.
“use by”
How long can cooked ground meat be stored?
Up to two days
How long can cooked whole cuts be stored?
3-5 days
What is meat?
The skeletal muscles of mammals
Meat is composed of:
Water, muscle tissue, connective tissue, adipose (fatty) tissue, and sometimes bone
What are the three parts of a muscle cell?
Sarcolemma, Sarcoplasm, and Myofibrils.
What is the outer membrane in the muscle fiber?
Sarcolemma
What is the cellular fluid that contains the myofibrils called?
Sarcoplasm
What results in smaller and more numerous muscle fibrils?
More numerous muscle bundles—> delicate, velvety meat.
Fibrils separated into units are called what?
Sarcomeres
What are myofibrils?
The contractile units of muscle
Sarcomeres are bordered by dark bands called?
Z-lines
Sarcomeres contain what two major proteins?
Actin and Myosin
What is Actin?
A thin filament that contains minor proteins
What are two minor proteins in Actin?
Tropomyosin and Troponin
Tropomyosin __________ actin structure.
Stabilizes
Troponin contains _______ binding protein.
Ca
What is myosin?
The thick filament
What initiates muscle contraction?
Nerve impulse
What is alternately aligned?
Actin and Myosin
_________ released into sarcoplasm expose active sites on actin.
Calcium ions
Once the active sites are exposed, actin can then react with myosin to form ________ cross-links.
actomyosin
_______ pulls actin towards center and the sarcomere shortens
Myosin
When nerve impulse stops, _______ is pumped out of the sarcoplasm.
Calcium
When the muscle relaxes ________ cross links break.
Actomyosin
Sarcomers return to _______ length.
Original
What does Rigor Mortis mean?
Stiffness of death
When does Rigor Mortis occur?
Within 24 hours of slaughtering, muscles enter a temporary stiff state.
Upon death as a last resort, what do cells do?
Anaerobic glycolysis
pH decreases when?
Lactic acid is produced.
If the pH is too high, what occurs?
Microbial growth
If the pH is too low, what occurs?
Too much water loss
What is WHC?
Water holding capacity: the ability of a matrix to physically entrap water
What is connective tissue (CT)?
A mixture of proteins and polysaccharides acts as “glue” to hold muscle cells together.
What are the main proteins in CT?
Collagen, Elastin, and Reticulin
What protein is tough and fibrous but softens upon heating?
Collagen
What protein has elastic properties?
Elastin
The older the animal, the higher amount of connective tissue. True or False
True
What protein forms interlace around muscle cells for support?
Reticulin
As an animal ages the collagen content increases. True or False
True
______ from older animals are less expensive and require slow, moist-heating, at low temperatures
Tougher cuts
Fat content depends on what?
Animals genetic, ages, diet, exercise, and cut of meat
What is trimmed and discarded?
Cover fat
Cover fat appears where?
On the outside of meat
What is marbling?
Intramuscular fat that is seen as white streaks
What contributes to flavor and juiciness?
Marbling
What is a purpose of adipose tissue?
Serve as insulation and padding for sensitive organs.
Well-marbled beef is more expensive.
True
What is Kobe beef?
A special grade of beef from (wagyu) raised cattle.
What are bones used for?
To identify meat cuts
What is marrow?
Soft fatty material in the center of bones
What may contribute to the antibiotics of weight gain?
Antibiotics
What is given to ensure health and promote growth?
Antibiotics
Organic beef is…
raised without antibiotics or hormones
What reduces production costs?
Hormones
What is given to encourage rapid weight gain?
Hormones
The color of meat is primarily from what?
A pigment-containing protein called myoglobin.
What is the internal color of meat?
Purple-red color
The purple-red color comes from?
Myoglobin
The red color comes from?
Oxymyoglobin, once exposed to oxygen.
The brownish-red color comes from?
Metmyoglobin
What is the number one factor influencing consumers when purchasing meat?
Color
Beef is primarily from…
heifers and steers
Veal is primarily from…
Young calves 3 weeks-3 months
Veal has a unique flavor from…
The presence of lactic acid
Lamb is from ______ sheep
Younger
Meat of sheep is called?
Lamb and Mutton
Mutton is from _____ sheep.
Older
Mutton has darker, tougher, and _______ flavor.
Stronger
Pork is from…
younger swine of either sex, 5.5- 7 months old
Pork about how much is sold as fresh pork?
1/3
What happens to the other 2/3?
It is cured into ham, sausage, or bacon.
What did the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 do?
Inspections for all meat transported across state lines or brought into the U.S. are mandatory.
Grading is a voluntary procedure. True or False.
True
“Prime” is the most expensive. True or False
True
Beef quality grading has how many different grades?
8
What are the top three?
Prime, choice, select
Prime
Choice and Select are commonly purchased by…
Consumers in the grocery store
What are grades 4 and 5?
Standard and commercial
Why are standard and commercial not sold at the retail level?
It comes from older cattle.
What are grades 6,7 and 8? And what is it used for?
Utility, cutter, and canner. It is used for processed, pet food, or canned meats.
What is yield grade?
A grade based on the ratio of lean muscle to non-meat portion. (1 highest and 5 lowest)
The natural tenderness of the meat is influenced by?
Cut of meat, animal’s age, genetic factors, diet, and rigor mortis.
An example of muscular hypertrophy/double muscling is?
Belgian Blue Breed
What are the two major types of meat?
Primal and Retail
Primal is about how many cuts?
7-9 cuts
What are two types of tenderization?
Artificial and Mechanical
What are examples of artificial tenderizing?
Commercially available enzymes
What is an example of commercially available enzymes?
Papain (papayas), Bromelin (pineapples), Ficin (figs), Trypsin (pancreas from animals)
What does salt do?
Increase water retention
What does acidic marinades do?
Break down the outside surface of meats
What is mechanical tenderization?
Grinding and pounding that physically breaks down muscle cells and CT.
What are variety meats?
highly-valued sources of micronutrients and proteins
What are two types of variety meats?
Organ meats and muscle meats
Organ meats are usually extremely tender. True or False
True
Muscle meats are usually very tough. True or False.
True
What are examples of cured meats?
Bacon, ham, sausage, lunch meats
Nitrites preserve meat or add flavor. True or False.
True
What is dry curing?
Rubbing ingredients into the meat surface
What is brining?
Soaking meat in a salt solution
What is a safety concern of additives in processed meats?
Carcinogenic nitrosamines can form in the stomach
What is the purpose of nitrites?
Keep processed meats’ pink color
What are additives in processed meats?
Nitrites, preservatives(antioxidants), flavorings, and coloring agents
What are the antioxidants in processed meats?
BHT, BHA
What are the flavorings in processed meats?
Salt and sugar
What are the coloring agents in processed meats?
Annatto, saffron, tumeric
What was a smoking techdeveloped in the late 1800s?
Liquid smoke
Liquid smoke saves time and limits pollution. True or false.
True
Canned meats are either _____ or _____.
Pasteurized or sterilized.
Does pasteurized meat require refrigeration?
Yes
______ and _______ is maximized by cooking at the right time/ temp combo
Tenderness and juiciness
What is an example of dried meats?
Jerky
What is an example of low and slow moist heat?
Stewing and braising
What is a dry heat method?
Roasting, sauteing, grilling
What is best for tougher cuts?
Low and Slow
What is best for tender cuts?
Dry heat
What is the purpose of searing?
To seal the outside to keep juices in, and increase flavor and color
Searing is not effective in juice retention. True or False
True
What are the four methods for determining doneness?
A meat thermometer, time/weight charts, color change, and touch
What is the most accurate method to determine doneness?
A meat thermometer
The way meat is sliced affects tenderness. True or False.
True
What is the grain?
The direction in which the muscle fibers are running
What is a cutting method that increases tenderness?
Cutting across the grain
