Night Listening | Is meat tastier the fresher it is? The answer is different from what you think!

Meat is an indispensable part of our diet and can provide us with high-quality protein. However, if the meat is not cooked well, it is often dry and hard, so there are always people who wonder: Is the fresher the meat, the better it tastes?

Many people think that meat is most tender and delicious when it is freshly slaughtered, but this idea is probably completely wrong. When it is freshly slaughtered, the lactic acid content of the meat is the highest, and the pH is roughly 5.4 to 6.7 . When the pH reaches 5.4, the muscle fibers of the animal will become hard . For reference, beef will go into rigor mortis 2.5 hours after slaughter, while lamb, pork and chicken will only go into rigor mortis in 1 hour. The meat at this time has a bad taste, has an odor, and is very hard to eat.

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So when is the best time to eat meat? Generally speaking, meat is most tender when it is stored at 4 degrees Celsius for 1 to 3 days after slaughter .

This is because after the rigor mortis stage, the meat enters the ripening stage, the protein in the meat is broken down and converted into amino acids; the glucose content increases; the fat turns into fatty acids with aroma. This series of substances makes it taste rich in meat and nutty aroma, and the overall structure of the meat will become weaker, making it soft, juicy and delicious.

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But it does not mean that the longer the meat is stored, the more tender it will be. If it is stored for too long, the meat will enter the autolysis stage and deterioration will begin at the same time. In serious cases, the meat will become smelly, sticky, and green. This is the result of the combined effects of indole, sulfide, skatole, cadaverine, bacterial toxins, etc. decomposed from protein and fat , which also means it is inedible.

Therefore, the fresher the meat is, the better it tastes. Meat is best enjoyed after it is matured .

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Review | Han Hongwei, Director and Researcher of Risk Communication Department, National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center