Meat Spoilage and Preservation

Meat Food Spoilage

• Meat is a nutritious, protein-rich food that is highly perishable and has a short shelf-life unless preservation methods are used.
• Meat and its products provide excellent growth media for a variety of microflora (bacteria, yeasts, and molds), some of which are pathogens.
• Meat spoilage can be caused by natural processes, such as lipid oxidation or autolytic enzymatic reactions that occur in the muscle after slaughtering.
• Factors responsible for microbial contamination of meat include:
  • Bacterial microorganisms from animals
  • Knives, hands, and clothing of workers
  • Pre-slaughter handling of livestock and post-slaughter handling of meat
  • Handling during slaughtering, evisceration, and processing
  • Temperature controls during slaughtering, processing, and distribution
  • Type of packaging used
  • Handling and storage

Meat Preservation Methods

• Meat preservation methods include:
  • Controlling temperature by chilling and freezing
  • Controlling water activity with sodium chloride and sugars
  • Using different chemicals, such as:
    • Chlorides
    • Nitrites
    • Sulfides
    • Organic acids
    • Phenolic antioxidants
    • Phosphates
• These methods help to:
  • Control growth of microorganisms
  • Prevent oxidative spoilage
  • Control autolytic enzymatic spoilage

Learn about the factors that contribute to meat spoilage, including natural processes and microbial contamination, and the importance of preservation methods to extend shelf life.