Page 185 - Agriculture_Form_Three

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

Meat preservation by smoking: This technique involves hanging meat strips over
a place where wood fuel is burnt to generate smoke. Meat smoking has two effects
on the meat, first, removal of moisture due to hot air and second, covering of the
meat surface with smoke. Some smoke may penetrate into deeper layers of the
meat. Both effects help in preservation of meat. The meat smoked by traditional
methods is generally of poor quality and has short shelf life. To improve quality, it
is recommended to smoke strips that are between 4 cm and 7 cm in thickness. Meat
pieces that are thinner than 4 cm will dry excessively while those that are thicker
than 7 cm will not dry completely. The sun dried meat may be lightly smoked to add
special wood flavour (for example, using cinnamon fuel wood).

The dried meat may have different names depending on its origin and method.
Examples are ‘odka’, ‘biltong’, ‘kinshi’ and ‘qwanta’. Odka is a sun-dried meat
product from Somalia and northern Kenya. It is made from thick pieces of beef
which, after being dried in the sun for a while, they are cut into thinner strips and
cooked in oil. The pieces can be stored for up to 12 months. Biltong is a very popular
dried meat product in southern Africa made from salted dried meat. Kinshi is a dried
meat from West Africa that is popular in the northern arid areas of West African
countries and qwanta is a dried meat which is a very popular product in Ethiopia.
Meat preservation by fermentation: Fermentation involves the addition of certain
useful bacteria to meat. These fermenting bacteria produce acid as they grow, lowering
the pH of the meat and inhibiting the growth of many pathogenic microorganisms.

Other methods of meat preservation: Other methods of meat preservation are based
on industrial techniques. These methods include:
(a) Canning: A method that involves pasteurisation of meat in sealed containers.
(b) Irradiation: A method of pasteurisation by means of radiation.

(c) Vacuum packaging: A method that involves removal of oxygen from meat.
With oxygen removed, the spoilage bacteria cannot grow. This method is very
effective but needs high technology and it is one of the most expensive method
of meat preservation. It can only be done at large scale preservations.

Activity 8.2
Perform the following tasks:
1. While on vacation, visit various places at your home area and enquire on any
meat preservation methods done or known. When back to school, in practical
class, discuss these methods and compare them to see which one may be the
best.

Student’s Book Form Three
174

10/01/2025 12:31
AGRICULTURE FORM 3 9.11.2022.indd 174 10/01/2025 12:31
AGRICULTURE FORM 3 9.11.2022.indd 174