Page 182 - Agriculture_Form_Three

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

Cooling

Meat cuts Fats
Bones

Figure 8.4 (c): Cooling for wholesale
Meat preservation
Meat is very rich in nutrients. If not properly handled, it can attract many disease-
causing microorganisms, which eventually will lead to spoilage. Meat spoilage can
be controlled by inhibiting growth and multiplication of microorganisms, preventing
oxidation of fatty acids and by slowing down of enzymatic activities. There are
several techniques that are used for meat preservation. In this part, you will learn
about meat preservation by a few selected techniques that you may be able to do at
home. These techniques are cold storage, drying, smoking, curing and fermentation.
Meat preservation by cold storage:Most spoilage microbes cannot survive below
3 °C. Low temperature storage has become the most common method of meat

preservation. Meat under refrigeration remains fresh for 5 to 7 days. Under freezer
storage of -18 °C, beef can be stored for 6 to 12 months, lamb for 6 to 9 months,
pork for 6 months, and sausage products for 2 months. The rate of freezing is very
important in maintaining meat quality. Rapid freezing is better than slow freezing.
This is because slow freezing causes formation of large ice crystals in the meat and
ruptures of cell membranes of the meat tissues. When the meat is taken out of the
freezer and thawed, meat juices will flow out of the meat and the meat will lose its
original flavour.

Meat preservation by sun drying: This is most effective in areas with low humidity
(below 30% relative humidity) and high air circulation. The drying process involves
gradual removal of water from the meat surface, followed by continuous drawing
of water from deeper layers of the meat. The rate of drying depends on ambient
temperature, humidity and speed of air circulation.

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