Meat Science An Introductory Text

Preface ix
1. Producing and Eating Meat 
Meat production and consumption
Concerns about eating meat
2. The Growth and Body Composition of Animals 
Growth in animals
Carcass yield and composition
Growth-promoting agents
Describing and predicting composition
3. The Chemical Composition and Structure of Meat 
The chemical composition of meat
The structure of meat
The contractile and other muscle proteins
Muscle contraction
4. The Slaughter of Animals 
Handling and ante-mortem inspection
Stunning
Slaughter
Carcass dressing, post-mortem inspection and butchery
The operation of abattoirs
5. Post-mortem Changes in Muscle and its Conversion into Meat 
Muscle metabolism in the living animals
Post-mortem acidification and rigor development
The resolution of rigor mortis and the tenderization of meat
Other changes occurring in the conversion of muscle to meat
6. Meat Quality 
What meat quality means
Ways to improve quality
Some specific quality concerns in beef and pork
7. The Effects of Live Animal Handling on Carcass and Meat Quality 
The marketing process
Carcass quality effects
Lean meat quality
Other effects on quality
8. Post-mortem Handling of Carcasses and Meat Quality 
Temperature effects
Carcass handling procedures to improve quality
Meat packaging
Use of antioxidants
Tenderizing by marinading and injection
Processed meat products
Mechanically recovered meat
Pressure treatment
9. Meat Hygiene, Spoilage and Preservation 
Disease and the contamination of meat
Microbial contamination
The preservation of meat
Ensuring meat is safe to eat
10. Animal Welfare 
Welfare and its measurement
Stress
Ways to promote an improvement in animal welfare
11. Measuring the Composition and Physical Characteristics of Meat 
Chemical composition
Meat species identification
Colour and appearance
Light scattering and paleness
Water-holding capacity
Use of on-line measurements to predict pork quality
The pH of meat
Rigor mortis
12. Measuring Eating Quality 
Meat texture
Meat flavour
Taste panelling and sensory evaluation
A strategy for the assessment of eating quality
References 
Index