Meat composition and nutritional value

A typical cut of meat is made up primarily of skeletal muscle, connective tissue, fat, bone, and a small amount of smooth muscle such as arteries and veins. Skeletal muscle is made up of muscle fibres. Each muscle fibre consists of rod-shaped myofibrils. Myofibrils and connective tissue are components of muscle. They have the greatest effect upon meat tenderness. Many of the meat-processing procedures tenderise these components.

The nutritional value of meat comes from its proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fats. Although nutritionists no longer advice meat at every meal, meat is a good source of calories, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Its major contribution to the diet, however, is a high quality and quantity of protein and a supply of fatty acids, B-complex vitamins, and minerals, including iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and zinc.

Meat proteins are largely those of the muscle and connective tissues. Generally, meats with more fat have less protein. In addition to its protein content, meat provides a high-quality, digestible protein; at least 97 percent of the protein is digested. 100-gram of cooked meat provides about 45 to 55 percent of the recommended daily allowance of protein for humans.

The nutritional value of meat is also influenced by fat content. The content depends on the animal type, how much the animal is fattened prior to slaughter, the amount of fat trimmed during processing, the amount of fat used in processed meats, and the method of cooking. Generally described as a saturated fat, meat fat is actually a mixture of both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

Variety meats are excellent sources of vitamins. Pork, bacon and ham are in particular rich in thiamine. Liver and kidneys are also rich in vitamin A, folic acid, iron, riboflavin and B-vitamins. Tripe also contains more calcium than other meats.

8.Answer the questions.

1.What does a typical cut of meat consist of?

2.What are the main structural components of muscle?

3.What has the greatest effect upon meat tenderness?

4.What is the major meat contribution to the diet?

5.Is protein of meat well-digestible?

6.What does the fat content of meat depend on?

7.What vitamins and minerals are found in meat?

9.Complete the following statements.

1.Meat is made up of....

2.Many meat-processing operations tenderise....

3.The nutritional value of meat comes from.......

4.Meat is a good source of.......

5.At least 97 percent of the protein in meat is.......

6.Pork, bacon and ham are rich in.......

7.Fat content of meat depends on.......

8.Meat fat is a mixture of.......

10.Remember the following words and word combinations:

religious restrictions – релігійні обмеження;

prominence – провідне становище;

carcass – туша;

suckling pig – молочне порося;

streaky – смугастий, з прошарками;

knuckle – ніжка (теляча, свиняча);

jowl – щелепа, товсті щоки й підборіддя;

myoglobin [ˌmaɪə'gləʊbın] міоглобін.

11.Read and translate the text.

Pork

Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world, providing about 38 percent of daily meat protein intake worldwide, although consumption varies widely from place to place. This is despite religious restrictions on the consumption of pork and the prominence of red meat (beef and lamb) industries in the West. Pork consumption has been rising for thirty years, both in actual terms and in terms of meat-market share.

Pork may be cooked from fresh meat or cured over time. Cured meat products include ham and bacon. The carcass may be utilized in many different ways for fresh meat cuts, with the popularity of certain cuts and certain carcass proportions varying worldwide.

Most of the carcass can be used to produce fresh meat and in the case of a suckling pig the whole body of a young pig ranging in age from two to six weeks is roasted.

Cuts of pork. There are different systems of naming for cuts in America, Britain and France.