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PubMed2006

Heme of consumed red meat can act as a catalyst of oxidative damage and could initiate colon, breast and prostate cancers, heart disease and other diseases.

Dietary epidemiological studies indicate correlations between the consumption of red meat and/or processed meat and cancer of the colon, rectum, stomach, pancreas, bladder, endometrium and ovaries, prostate, breast and lung, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. The correlation of all these major diseases with dietary red meat indicates the presence of factors in red meat that damage biological components. This hypothesis will focus on the biochemistry of heme compounds and their oxidative processes. Raw red meat contains high levels of oxymyoglobin and deoxymyoglobin and oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin and cytochromes in muscle and other tissues. Cooked and processed meat contain hemichromes and hemochromes. After being eaten heme proteins are hydrolyzed to amino acids and peptides and the heme group which is coordinated with strong ligands. The iron of heme coordinates to the sulfur, nitrogen or oxygen of amino acids and peptides and other biological components. The coordinated heme groups are absorbed and transported by the blood to every organ and tissue. Free and coordinated heme preferentially catalyze oxidative reactions. Heme catalyzed oxidations can damage lipids, proteins, DNA and other nucleic acids and various components of biological systems. Heme catalysis with hydroperoxide intermediates can initiate further oxidations some of which would result in oxidative chain reactions. Biochemical and tissue free radical damage caused by heme catalyzed oxidations is similar to that resulting from ionizing radiation. Oxidative biochemical damage is widespread in diseases. It is apparent that decreasing the amount of dietary red meat will limit the level of oxidative catalysts in the tissues of the body. Increasing consumption of vegetables and fruits elevates the levels of antioxidative components, for example, selenium, vitamin E, vitamin C, lycopene, cysteine-glutathione and various phytochemicals. These detrimental processes of heme catalysis of oxidative damage hypothesized here are not well recognized. More investigative studies in this field need to be done.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Meat consumption, cancer risk and population groups within New Zealand.

In comparison with other OECD countries with good cancer registries, New Zealand has the highest mortality rate of colon cancer, second highest of breast cancer and third highest of prostate cancer. A possible association with heterocyclic amine consumption has been suggested for each of these cancers. Studies of locally cooked meat suggest that the main contributors to heterocyclic amines in the New Zealand diet would be well-cooked beef, chicken and pork. Well-cooked beef steak, and the specific heterocyclic amine, IFP, showed a weak positive correlation with prostate cancer risk in the New Zealand population, but no studies thus far have considered the role of meat cooking practices or heterocyclic amines in the development of other cancers. The Maori and Pacific Island people, despite a superficially similar diet, have a substantially lower incidence of colon cancer than people of Caucasian origin. These differences are particularly intriguing in view of a report that a very high percentage of these people have a fast acetylator phenotype-a factor suggested to augment the effect of well-cooked red meat in other populations. The three population groups are known to differ in their preferences for meat type (including processed meats), and there are anecdotal suggestions that they may differ in preferred cooking methods. More detailed population studies are warranted to establish the role of meat, meat processing, cooking methods and the interaction with food plants and/or with genotype and phenotype in New Zealand.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The concentration of creatine in meat, offal and commercial dog food.

The concentrations of creatine (Cr), phosphorylcreatine (PCr) and creatinine (Cn) were determined in a variety of meats, before and after cooking by boiling, in a range of commercially available canned dog foods, in rendered and dried meat products and in commercially available dry dog foods. None of the samples contained PCr. Uncooked chicken, beef and rabbit meat contained approximately 30 mmol kg-1 of Cr. Ox-heart and ox-liver had Cr concentrations of 22.5 and 2.3 mmol kg-1, respectively. Canned dog foods had Cr concentrations of 0.5 to 2 mmol kg-1. Dried meat samples had Cr concentrations of 90 to 100 mmol kg-1 dry weight. In contrast, the Cr concentration of dried rendered meat meal was 3 mmol kg-1 dry weight or less. Dry dog foods contained 0.5 to 4 mmol kg-1 dry weight of Cr. The results indicate that in the canned dog foods, the dried meat samples and the dried rendered meat meal creatine had been degraded to variable extents to creatinine.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1982

Meat and fat consumption and cancer mortality: A study of strict religious orders in Britain.

The close correlations between mortality from breast and colorectal cancers and the per-caput consumption of meat or fat in different countries suggest that these dietary items may be involved in the aetiology of the neoplasms. To investigate further these possible relations a study has been conducted of cancer mortality between 1911 and 1978 in two groups of enclosed religious orders for women: one of 1769 nuns who eat no meat and one of 1044 nuns who eat little meat. Mortality from breast and colorectal cancer was not significantly lower in either group than in the general population. It is difficult to evaluate the small reduction in breast cancer mortality in the no-meat group because of the wide confidence limits. An unexpected finding was an excess mortality from oesophageal cancer in both groups. These findings concern women who reduced their meat consumption in adult life: it is suggested that they are compatible with the evidence put forward to support a role for fat or meat intake in causation of breast cancer if dietary influences in pre-adult life are important. The findings on colorectal cancer point to the aetiological importance in this disease of aspects of diet other than fat or meat intake.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Molecular differentiation of clostridia associated with "blown pack" spoilage of vacuum-packed meats using internal transcribed spacer polymorphism analysis.

The 16S-23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) polymorphism analysis was assessed for its suitability in rapid discrimination between species of psychrophilic and psychrotolerant clostridia associated with "blown pack" spoilage of vacuum-packed meats. DNA isolated from 10 reference and 20 meat strains of psychrophilic and psychrotolerant clostridia were used as templates in PCR amplification with primers complementary to conserved regions of the 3' end of the 16S rRNA and 5' end of the 23S rRNA genes directly flanking the spacer. The majority of strains showed multi-band ITS patterns when products of spacer amplification were visualised on an agarose gel. With the majority of meat strains, PCR amplification generated single banding pattern for a single clostridial species. However, meat strains of Cl. algidicarnis produced four different ITS banding patterns. With reference strains of psychrophilic and psychrotolerant clostridia, variation in spacer length was also observed between nonproteolytic Cl. botulinum type B (17B), E (Beluga) and F (202F). On the other hand, the number and size of the ITS amplification products could not be used for a differentiation of Cl. laramiense ATCC 51254(T) from Cl. estertheticum DSM 8809(T), Cl. putrefaciens DSM 1291(T) from Cl. algidicarnis NCFB 2931(T), or Cl. frigidicarnis strains from nonproteolytic Cl. botulinum type B (17B). The presence of interstrain, and lack of interspecies, ITS polymorphism observed in the present study with some clostridial species may preclude the use of 16S-23S rDNA spacer amplification for species-level discrimination and identification, respectively, of psychrophilic and psychrotolerant clostridia associated with meat spoilage. However, where interstrain, intraspecies heterogeneity of ITS amplification products exists, ITS analysis could be useful for tracing back psychrophilic and psychrotolerant clostridia responsible for meat spoilage to their meat plant sources.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in cured meats.

Congenital toxoplasmosis is associated with acute maternal infection acquired during or shortly before the pregnancy. The mother's infection is initiated by the ingestion of one of the life forms of the parasite but the relative importance of the different sources of toxoplasmosis are not established. Recent epidemiological studies have confirmed ingestion of raw meats as a risk factor but also identified consumption of cured meats as being associated with acute toxoplasmosis in pregnancy. There is little existing information concerning the efficiency of commercial curing processes for inactivating Toxoplasma gondii. We sought to detect the presence of T. gondii in ready-to-eat cured meat samples by amplification of the parasite's P30 gene using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, tissue culture was used in order to isolate viable parasites. Laboratory inoculated specimens were used to assess the sensitivity of each method. PCR was able to detect parasite contamination down to a level of 5 x 10(3) trophozoites/g while viable toxoplasma could be detected in tissue culture at a level of 10(3) trophozoites/g cured meat. The high salt content of some cured meats limited sensitivity of the PCR assay by inhibition of the polymerase enzyme and reduced the sensitivity of tissue culture due to osmotic pressure causing cytopathic effect. However viable T. gondii was detected in one out of 67 ready-to-eat cured meat samples. Our results highlight the need for improved methods for detecting toxoplasma contamination of food. Health implications of consuming cured meats in pregnancy require careful consideration.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Lung cancer risk and red meat consumption among Iowa women.

OBJECTIVE: Some epidemiologic studies suggest that diets high in total fat, saturated fat, or cholesterol are associated with increased risk of lung cancer. Others suggest that diets high in red meat consumption, particularly well-done red meat, are a lung cancer risk factor. In Iowa, we had the opportunity to investigate concurrently the role of meat intake and macronutrients in lung cancer etiology. METHODS: A population-based case-control study of both non-smoking and smoking women was conducted in Iowa. A 70-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was completed by 360 cases and 574 frequency-matched controls. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression. Multivariate models included age, education, pack-years of smoking, yellow-green vegetable intake, fruit/fruit juice intake, nutrient density calories, previous non-malignant lung disease, alcohol consumption and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: When comparing the fifth (highest) to the first (lowest) quintile of consumption of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, we obtained odds ratios of 2.0 (1.3-3.1), 3.0 (1.9-4.7), and 2.0 (1.3-3.0) respectively. However, when red meat was entered into the model along with total fat, saturated fat or cholesterol, the excess risk for the macronutrients disappeared while an odds ratio of 3.3 (1.7-7.6) was obtained for red meat. The odds ratios for red meat consumption were similar among adenocarcinoma cases, OR=3.0 (1.1-7.9) and non-adenocarcinoma cases, OR=3.2 (1.3-8.3) and among life-time nonsmokers and ex-smokers OR=2.8 (1.4-5.4), and current smokers, OR=4.9 (1.1-22.3). Yellow-green vegetables were protective with an odds ratio of 0.4 (0.2-0.7). CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of red meat, was associated with an increased risk of lung cancer even after controlling for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, fruit, yellow-green vegetable consumption and smoking history, while yellow-green vegetables are associated with a decreased risk of lung cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1997

Heterocyclic aromatic amine content in pre-processed meat cuts produced in Canada.

In an ongoing survey, the presence of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) was determined in processed, ready-to-eat meat products sold as 'meat cuts'. HAAs are a group of recently recognized mutagenic/carcinogenic contaminants in foods that are produced during the heat processing of meat. 16 samples of meat cuts (e.g. turkey breast, salami, chicken loaf, cooked ham, all beef meat, pepperoni, etc.), randomly purchased from supermarkets and specialty food stores in the Ottawa area, were analysed for the presence of eight HAAs. The isolation of HAAs was based on sequential liquid-liquid extraction procedures of the samples at both acidic and basic pH values. The mutagenic activity of these samples was determined using the Ames/Salmonella microsome assay with the strain TA98 plus rat liver S-9 metabolic activation. The mutagenicity of these samples ranged from undetectable to slightly active. The highest mutagenic activity, 141 induced revertants/g, was found in a smoked turkey breast sample. 11 samples were not mutagenic, including two that indicated a tendency for inhibition of the spontaneous revertants. The remaining four samples exhibited very low mutagenic activity. For chemical analysis, the extracts were purified with two solid phase extraction cartridges. Quantitative analysis was performed by using liquid chromatography for separation and mass spectrometry for detection. With the exception of trace amounts (0.4 ng/g) of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) in the sample with highest mutagenic activity, the chemical analysis did not detect the presence of any of the eight most frequently found HAAs in fried or broiled meat products. These data suggest that consumption of meat cuts does not present a serious health risk from HAA-type contaminants.

Amines↗
PubMed2003

Whey proteins protect more than red meat against azoxymethane induced ACF in Wistar rats.

Protein type and density have been shown to influence colon cancer risk using a carcinogen-induced rat model. It is suggested that red meat may promote colon cancer risk more than whey proteins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of red meat, whey protein and their density in the diet on the number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), preneoplastic markers in Wistar rats. The sources of protein, red meat as barbecued kangaroo muscle meat, and whey protein concentrate were fed to rats to provide 8, 16 and 32% protein by weight in a modified AIN-93 diet with low fiber, low calcium and high polyunsaturated fat. Adult Wistar rats (13 weeks of age) were fed these diets for 4 weeks and then two s.c. injections of azoxymethane, 15 mg/kg BW, were administered 1 week apart. Diets were fed for a further 8 weeks, rats were then killed, their colons fixed in formalin saline and stained with methylene blue to quantify ACF number. Fecal samples were collected and the fecal water was isolated for quantification of heme and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Increasing red meat density correlated positively, while increasing dairy protein density correlated negatively with rate of weight gain (p<0.05). Dietary intake was not significantly affected by protein type or density. The 32% whey protein group had significantly less ACF in the proximal colon in comparison to the 16 and 32% red meat groups (p<0.05). This reduction in ACF number in the whey protein group may be caused by hormones associated with the reduction in weight gain, and/or by components of whey protein concentrate such as cysteine, lactose and conjugated linoleic acid which have been shown to have anti-cancer effects. Using ACF number as an index, whey protein appeared to be more protective than red meat.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Development of inosine monophosphate and its degradation products during aging of pork of different qualities in relation to basic taste and retronasal flavor perception of the meat.

Inosine monophosphate (IMP) and its degradation products, ribose and hypoxanthine, are all considered to be important constituents in meat flavor formation and development. The present study explored the fate of IMP during the aging of two qualities of pork (pH >5.7 and 5.5 < pH < 5.6) and the potential relationship between IMP, hypoxanthine, and sensory attributes of pork registered both as retronasal and basic taste responses in whole meat, meat juice, and the remaining meat residue. During aging the concentration of IMP decreased with a simultaneous increase in the concentrations of inosine, hypoxanthine, and ribose. The rates at which IMP was degraded to inosine and inosine to hypoxanthine during aging were found to be in agreement with the known rate constants of the dephosphorylation of IMP and the hydrolysis of inosine, respectively. Moreover, high-pH pork resulted in a significantly higher concentration of hypoxanthine throughout storage compared with low-pH pork due to an initially higher concentration of IMP in high-pH meat. The sensory analysis showed increasing intensity in bitterness and saltiness of pork as a function of aging, with the intensity being most pronounced in the meat juice. The increasing bitterness of the pork as a function of aging coincided with the higher content of hypoxanthine in these samples, thereby suggesting that degradation of IMP to hypoxanthine might influence pork flavor. In contrast, IMP was associated with nonaged meat and the sensory attributes meaty and brothy.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Meat preparation and colorectal adenomas in a large sigmoidoscopy-based case-control study in California (United States).

The often observed association between red meat and colorectal cancer could be due in part to mutagens, such as heterocyclic amines (HCA), that are present in cooked meat. HCAs are highly mutagenic and cause intestinal tumors in animals. The hypothesis that HCAs are also carcinogenic to humans remains to be substantiated in epidemiologic studies. We determined the associations of meat preparation and frequency of intake (proxy variables for HCA exposure, since HCA concentration depends on the type of meat and the way it is cooked) with the prevalence of distal colorectal adenomas in a sigmoidoscopy-based case-control study of 488 matched pairs of subjects from two California (United States) Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers. A more than twofold difference in adenoma prevalence between subjects at extreme ends of estimated HCA intake was observed. For subjects who ate red meat more than once per week, fried it more than 10 percent of the time, and ate it with a darkly browned surface, compared with subjects who ate red meat one time or less per week, fried it 10 or less percent of the time, and ate it with a lightly browned surface, the odds ratio was 2.2 (95 percent confidence interval = 1.1-4.3). Adenoma prevalence also increased with frequency of frying red meat (P trend = 0.004). These results are consistent with a carcinogenic effect of HCA.

Adenoma↗
PubMed2002

Cooking of meat and fish in Europe--results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

OBJECTIVES: There is epidemiologic evidence that the consumption of fried, grilled or barbecued meat and fish that are well-done or browned may be associated with an increased cancer risk. These high-temperature cooking methods are thought to be surrogates for mutagens and carcinogens produced in meat and fish, eg heterocyclic amines or polycyclic hydrocarbons. Since data on food cooking methods are scarce, the aim of this study was to describe the variation in meat and fish cooking methods in different parts of Europe. DESIGN: Using a standardized 24 h recall from a sub-sample of the EPIC cohort (35 644 persons, 35-75 y old), mean daily intake of meat and fish prepared by different cooking methods and the relative contribution of the cooking methods to the overall cooking of meat and fish was calculated. RESULTS: Whereas frying was more often noted in northern Europe, roasting and stir frying were more often used in the south. Concerning high-temperature cooking methods, their frequency of application varies between 15% in the EPIC cohort of North-Italy and 49% in the cohort of The Netherlands. Average consumption of fried, grilled and barbecued meat and fish ranges from a low of 12 g/day in the centres in southern Spain to a high of 91 g/day in northern Spain. CONCLUSION: High variation in both the kind of meat/fish consumed as well as its cooking methods is observed within EPIC. In order to use this variation for the evaluation of the impact of cooking methods on cancer risk, a questionnaire on meat and fish cooking methods is being developed and could be applied in the whole EPIC cohort.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Use of restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis to differentiate strains of psychrophilic and psychrotropic clostridia associated with blown pack' spoilage of vacuum-packed meats.

Reference and meat strains of psychrophilic and psychrotrophic clostridia were differentiated using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of genomic DNA (DNA-RFLP) and the polymerase chain reaction-amplified 16S rDNA gene (PCR-RFLP). Groupings obtained with PCR-RFLP were confirmed with 16S rDNA gene sequencing. DNA-RFLP resolved 19 of the 22 meat strains into 11 groups. Three meat strains were untypable using this method. All reference strains representing different genotypic species could be distinguished by the restriction patterns of 16S rDNA genes. With PCR-RFLP, the 22 meat strains produced eight distinct genotypes. 16S rDNA gene sequencing confirmed that each genotype was represented by a distinct sequence. PCR-RFLP restriction patterns of 15 meat strains matched those of one of two of the seven reference strains used. Seven meat strains whose RFLP restriction patterns of 16S rDNA genes differed from those of any reference strains probably represent four previously undescribed species. Although RFLP analysis of the amplified 16S rDNA gene allowed differentiation of psychrophilic and psychrotrophic clostridia at the genotypic species level and below, comparison of PCR-RFLP patterns and 16S rDNA sequences of unknown clostridial isolates with patterns and sequences of reference strains may not effect ready identification of these micro-organisms. The results of this study will be useful in diagnosis of the cause of premature spoilage of chilled vacuum-packed meats and in tracing spoilage-causing clostridia to their source(s) in the abattoir.

Clostridium↗
PubMed2005

Vitamin E supplementation, cereal feed type and consumer sensory perceptions of poultry meat quality.

Lipid oxidation leads to meat spoilage and has been reported to cause adverse changes in the flavour and texture of poultry meat. Vitamin E has been found to be effective in delaying lipid oxidation. The aim of this study was to determine whether the vitamin E supplementation of chicken feed influences the consumers' perception of the quality of chicken meat under normal display and storage conditions. Untrained consumers (n 32) evaluated cooked breast meat from chickens (both corn fed and wheat fed) supplemented with 75,250 or 500 mg/kg vitamin E and after storage at 4 degrees C for 4 and 7 d. Factorial analysis found an interaction between vitamin E treatment and storage day upon the perceived juiciness (P=0.023) and tenderness (P=0.041) of the chicken meat. Perceptions of quality relative to vitamin E level were more evident on day 4 than day 7. When the two cereal types were compared, the time-related sub-group effects were observed only in meat from corn-fed chickens supplemented with either 75 or 250 mg/kg, which was perceived to be juicier (P=0.018) and more tender (P=0.020) than that supplemented at the 500 mg/kg level. These results imply that the two lower concentrations of vitamin E have some advantages over 500 mg/kg, but for optimal consumer acceptance of corn-fed chicken meat, we suggest that 250 mg/kg vitamin E should be added to corn-fed poultry feed. There was no evidence to suggest any advantages in changing the current amount of vitamin E (75 mg/kg) used to rear wheat-fed birds.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Hypertension and blood pressure among meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians and vegans in EPIC-Oxford.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of self-reported hypertension and mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures in four diet groups (meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians and vegans) and to investigate dietary and other lifestyle factors that might account for any differences observed between the groups. DESIGN: Analysis of cross-sectional data from participants in the Oxford cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Oxford). SETTING: United Kingdom. SUBJECTS: Eleven thousand and four British men and women aged 20-78 years at blood pressure measurement. RESULTS: The age-adjusted prevalence of self-reported hypertension was significantly different between the four diet groups, ranging from 15.0% in male meat eaters to 5.8% in male vegans, and from 12.1% in female meat eaters to 7.7% in female vegans, with fish eaters and vegetarians having similar and intermediate prevalences. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly different between the four diet groups, with meat eaters having the highest values and vegans the lowest values. The differences in age-adjusted mean blood pressure between meat eaters and vegans among participants with no self-reported hypertension were 4.2 and 2.6 mmHg systolic and 2.8 and 1.7 mmHg diastolic for men and women, respectively. Much of the variation was attributable to differences in body mass index between the diet groups. CONCLUSIONS: Non-meat eaters, especially vegans, have a lower prevalence of hypertension and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures than meat eaters, largely because of differences in body mass index.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Validation of HPLC method of analysis of tetracycline residues in eggs and broiler meat and its application to a feeding trial.

HPLC with ion-pairing chromatography and diodearray detection at 355 nm was used to determine tetracycline antibiotics in eggs and broiler meat. The analytical methods were optimized and validated. The mean recovery values for oxytetracycline for eggs and for tetracycline for breast meat were 76%. The within-day precision ranged from 8.0 to 11.8% for oxytetracycline in eggs and from 6.1 to 15.5% for tetracycline in breast meat. The between-day precision was 4.8% and 5.0% respectively for oxytetracycline in eggs and tetracycline in breast meat. The limit of detection and the limit of quantitation for oxytetracycline in eggs were 2.2 and 13.0 ng/g respectively. These limits for tetracycline in breast meat were 10.5 and 20.9 ng/g respectively. Residue values of tetracycline antibiotics in eggs and broiler meat were determined after oral administration of medicated feed. Medicated feed with 840 mg/kg oxytetracycline was provided to laying hens for seven successive days. Two days after the administration was stopped, the mean oxytetracycline residue value in the eggs was already lower than the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)-level and reached 118 ng/g. Broilers were supplied with medicated feed containing 480 mg/kg tetracycline for seven successive days. Four days after the administration was stopped, the mean tetracycline residue value in breast meat decreased below the MRL and was 86 ng/g.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2004

Factors influencing the 18O/16O-ratio in meat juices.

With respect to the question of whether the 18O/16O-ratio of meat water could be used for meat origin analysis, factors influencing its delta18O-value have been examined. The 18O/16O-ratio of meat water differs geographically, similar to known differences in precipitation and ground water. In Great Britain higher enrichments in 18O were found in southern samples and in Germany in northern samples. However, it was not possible to distinguish between British and German beef: their 18O/16O-ratios overlapped. British bovine samples the variation range of delta18O-values was 2.8 per thousand; in porcine samples it was 2.0 per thousand. British meat liquids from beef were enriched in 18O by 1.3 +/- 0.3 per thousand compared with pork. In porcine samples of litter mates with identical breeding and age at slaughter, the range in the delta18O-values among individuals was 2.4 per thousand. Experiments revealed significant influences of the meat's storage and handling conditions on the 18O/16O-ratio. After 10 h at 21.5 or 18.5 degrees C the delta18O-value increased by 0.4 or 0.3 per thousand per h, respectively, in samples (50 g) of chopped meat. The observed magnitude of changes might compensate for the geographical and seasonal differences. A precise origin assignment of the affected specimen on the base of delta18O-values of meat water is hence bound to be impossible.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Carrageenans and their use in meat products.

Carrageenans are sulfated linear polysaccharides of D-galactose and 3,6-anhydro-D-galactose extracted from red seaweeds. They have been used by the food industry for their gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties, and more recently by the meat industry for reduced fat products. Meat is a complex system of muscle tissue, connective tissue, fat, and water; during processing, numerous interactions occur among all these components. These interactions are responsible for the functional properties of the meat system. In meat products, carrageenans contribute to gel formation and water retention. Their addition is of special interest in low-fat meat products because fat reduction often leads to unacceptable, tough textures. When carrageenans are incorporated in these formulations, they improve the textural characteristics of the product by decreasing toughness and increasing juiciness. Although carrageenan interactions with milk proteins have been studied extensively, the mechanism by which carrageenans interact with meat proteins and the other meat components is not fully understood.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗