Meat taste

Products J 0 and J l are meaty in aroma and flavor. 1 possesses a characteristic meaty note reminiscent of 1iver-sausage whilst has a roasted meat odor and a burnt meat taste. In addition, the cis stereoisomer has a carrot-like and mushroom-like aroma and a herbaceous and tropical fruit note. The flavor thresholds in water of JJD and 1 1 are below 100 ppb. 

In this paper, we discuss 1)some tastes of free amino acids and some peptides, 2)the role of free amino acids in the characteristic tastes of vegetables and marine foods, 3)the role of the bitter peptides in cheese and the traditional Japanese foods "miso" and "natto", and 4.)the contribution of free amino acids and peptides to the improvement of the meat taste during storage of meats (beef, pork and chicken). 

Sucrose and dextrose at the same levels as for the chowders were added to canned lobster. Both sweeteners reduced the briny-saltiness and sour notes. Dextrose surpassed sucrose by making the meat taste more like fresh lobster. 

Meat taste is one of the most inportant factors responsible for its palatability as described previously. It is mainly caused by chemoreception of water-soluble (non-volatile) conqjounds. The improvement of meat taste during postmortem aging is caused by changes in chemical components, which are catalyzed by several biochemical reactions in the muscle in the absence of oxygen after death. 

In this chapter, the roles of peptides and free amino acids in the improvement of meat taste during postmortem aging is described. The mechanisms involved in the increases in these compounds are also introduced. Finally, the influences of proteases on their production during postmortem aging is provided. 

Components Responsible for Improvement of Meat Taste During Postmortem Aging... 

There are many taste components in meat, which are non-protein nitrogenous compounds such as ftee amino acids and peptides, nucleotides, lactic acid, sugars and minerals. Among them, free amino acids and pqjtides in meat are shown to increase by proteolysis during postmortem aging, and inprove meat taste. 

Recently, the contribution of peptides to meat taste has been gradually clarified. The increase in peptides in beef is shown to be very significant during the cooking in vacuum at 60 C for 6 h 18). As shown in Figure 1, peptides, which... 

The levels of endopeptidases and aminopeptidases contributing to the production of peptides and free amino acids are thought to influence meat taste improvement during postmortem aging. 

A flavor is tried at several different levels and in different mediums until the most characteristic one is selected. This is important because the character of a material is known to change quaUty with concentration and environment. For example, anethole, ben2aldehyde, and citral taste different with and without acid. Gamma-decalactone has different characters at different levels of use. -/ fZ-Butyl phenylacetate with acid is strawberry or fmity without acid it is creamy milk chocolate. 2,5-Dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3-(2Fi)-furanone with acid is strawberry without acid it is caramel or meat. 

Calcium—zinc stabilizers are used in both plasticized PVC and rigid PVC for food contact where it is desired to minimize taste and odor characteristics. AppHcations include meat wrap, water botdes, and medical uses. 

For us to remain perfectly healthy, the protein in our diet must supply suffident quantities of amino acids. We prefer to eat our protein in particular forms, that is in foods having particular textures, tastes and smells (these are called organoleptic properties). Conventional sources of protein are plants, mainly as cereals and pulses, and animals, mainly as meat, eggs and milk. The proportions of such proteins eaten in various parts of the world differ widely (Figure 4.1). 

Free glutamates exist in certain cheeses (such as parmesan), in tomato products, and in soy sauce. These products are often used to enhance the flavor of meat dishes. Proteins can be hydrolyzed by heat, releasing free glutamates. Cooked meats, especially grilled meats, get some of their taste from free glutamates. 

Additionally, color may also serve as a key to cataloging a food as safe. Undesirable colors of meats, fruits, and vegetables warn us about potential dangers or at least of the presence of undesirable flavors. Color and other sensory attributes are even misused as indicators for safety. Walker and co-authors demonstrated that in small and medium enterprises, more than 50% of food handlers thought that they could tell whether food was contaminated with food poisoning bacteria by sight, smell, and taste. Color is thus used as a way to identify a food and judge its quality."... 

Beilken et al. [ 12] have applied a number of instrumental measuring methods to assess the mechanical strength of 12 different meat patties. In all, 20 different physical/chemical properties were measured. The products were tasted twice by 12 panellists divided over 4 sessions in which 6 products were evaluated for 9 textural attributes (rubberiness, chewiness, juiciness, etc.). Beilken etal. [12] subjected the two sets of data, viz. the instrumental data and the sensory data, to separate principal component analyses. The relation between the two data sets, mechanical measurements versus sensory attributes, was studied by their intercorrelations. Although useful information can be derived from such bivariate indicators, a truly multivariate regression analysis may give a simpler overall picture of the relation. 

Soy sauce Dark reddish brown liquid, salty taste suggesting the quality of meat extract, a flavoring agent. 

Tofu has long been a source of protein in the Orient. It has much the same importance to the people of the Orient that meats, eggs and cheese have for the people in Western Countries. Tofu is usually sold in the form of a wet cake with a creamy-white color, smooth custard-like texture and a bland taste. It is highly hydrated and, depending on the water content, tofu products with different characteristics can be produced. The typical oriental type of tofu has a water content about 85%. Japanese prefer tofu having a smooth, fragile texture that contains about 88% water. The Chinese, on the other hand, produce many types of firm products with a chewy meatlike texture and a water content as low as 50-60%. Western consumers like tofu with a firm texture therefore, tofu found in the U.S. supermarkets contains 75-80% water. 

---