Advances in Food Research

The chilling and freezing of meat remains an essential way of extending shelf-life and maintaining quality. Based on the work of the internationally-renowned Food Refrigeration and Process Engineering Centre (FRPERC), Meat refrigeration provides an authoritative guide both to the impact of refrigeration on meat and best practice in using it to maximise meat quality for the consumer.Part one considers the impact of refrigeration on meat quality. There are chapters on the microbiology of refrigerated meat and its influence on shelf-life, drip production, weight loss and the effect of refrigeration on colour and texture. Part two looks at best practice in managing the cold chain from carcass to consumer. The authors discuss primary chilling, freezing, thawing and tempering, transport, storage, retail display and consumer handing. Part three of the book looks at aspects of process control, including chapters on such issues as temperature measurement, the design and optimal use of refrigeration systems.Both authoritative and practical, Meat refrigeration is a standard work for all those wishing to maximise the quality of refrigerated meat. - The standard work on meat refrigeration - Covers both individual quality issues and the management of the cold chain from carcass to consumer

The theme for this volume was chosen because no previous book has discussed the quality attributes of meat, poultry and fish and the methods that can be utilized for their measurement. The topics are not only timely but of great importance. Chapter I provides an introduction to the topic and presents a brief overview of the subject to be discussed. The next two chapters review information on the importance of color and some color problems in muscle foods, and explains the basis of color vision and perception of color before describing the methods that may be used for its measure ment. The following chapter discusses water binding and juiciness and their importance, while Chapter 5 provides the first intensive modern review on measurement of juiciness that has been published (to the knowledge of the author and editors). Chapter 6 reviews the physiology and psychology of flavor and aroma, which serves as a background for further discussion on the flavor and aroma of foods. The next chapter discusses the chemistry of flavor and aroma in muscle foods, while measurement of flavor and aroma are covered in Chapter 8. Chapter 9 reviews the species-specific meat flavors and aromas. Chapter 10 reviews some flavor and aroma problems in muscle foods and their measurement.