DFD meat

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Under DFD meat is meat which as a dark understands ( English :. Dark) , fixed (firm) and dry (dry) is characterized. Meat with these properties is classified as deficient and is only suitable for processing into certain products. DFD meat is often found in cattle - then also known as DCB meat ( dark cutting beef) - and less often in pigs, where the deficiency is more likely to be the light, watery PSE meat .

causes

If the slaughtered animal is exposed to stress due to transport, housing or weather conditions in the period before slaughter, there is an increased release of glycogen and ATP in the muscles of the animal. The lactic acid produced when these substances are broken down is broken down in the liver of the living animal. After the animal has been slaughtered, the process of meat maturation and the associated acidification of the muscles therefore no longer have sufficient ATP and glycogen available for the formation of lactic acid. The physiological pH value of the carcass (or even only individual parts of the body) drops only slightly, usually it only reaches values ​​of 6.4 or a little below. Optimally, the pH value would be 6.0 one hour after slaughter and around 5.4-5.5 after 24 hours.

Characteristics of DFD meat

Due to the high pH-value, the myofibrillar proteins of the meat have a good ability to bind water, the matured meat therefore contains more water, but appears drier because the water is more strongly bound. When DFD meat is heated, it loses a lot of water and becomes dry, and the taste is not typical of meat due to the lack of acidity. The good water retention can also lead to problems with the pickling salt intake during curing and thus cause uneven curing. Due to the higher water content and the only slightly acidic environment, DFD raw meat is also more susceptible to bacterial infestation and therefore less durable than correctly matured meat. The darker color of the meat is due to the change in the refractive index of DFD meat compared to normal meat.

use

Due to the good water-binding capacity of DFD meat, small quantities of the meat can be used for the production of boiled sausage.

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