Meat and Animal Product Quality

Meat and animal product quality research examines the biological and biochemical processes that determine whether a cut of meat is safe, nutritious, and appealing by the time it reaches a consumer's plate. Central to this work are the chemical reactions — particularly the oxidation of lipids and proteins — that degrade flavor, color, and texture over time, alongside the microbial communities that accelerate spoilage. Researchers are actively working to understand how preservation strategies such as modified atmosphere packaging and antioxidant interventions can slow these processes without compromising sensory properties that consumers actually notice and care about. Open questions include how muscle fiber composition at the time of slaughter shapes downstream quality outcomes, and how well current shelf-life indicators capture the complex, interacting changes that occur between farm and fork.

Works

150,225

Total citations

2,526,338

Keywords

Meat QualityProtein OxidationLipid OxidationAntioxidantsSpoilage MicrobiotaWater-Holding Capacity