CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MEAT | Colour and Pigment

Changes in the Physico-chemical and Microbial Quality during the Production of Pastırma Cured with Different Levels of Sodium Nitrite

“…(2015) also determined that the L* value was averagely 40.47 (27.37-50.08) in sırt pastırma. One of the most relevant roles of nitrite is the formation and stability of the desirable pinkish-red colour in curing meat products, and this feature is very important in terms of acceptability of the consumer (Cornforth and Jayasingh, 2004). The nitrosomyoglobin (NOMb.Fe +2 ) occurred as a result of the combination of myoglobin and nitrite oxide (NO) that forms the pinkish red colour in the cured product.…”

“…Nitrite is used as a curing agent due to a number of positive effects including: i) a permanent pinkish-red colour formation, ii) antimicrobial effect, iii) specific aroma/flavour formation and iv) an antioxidant effect in meat products (Christensen et al ., 2000). Desirable colour stability and a pinkish-red colour formation in cured meat products such as pastırma is the most distinct feature of nitrite and this feature is very important in terms of acceptability by the consumer (Cornforth and Jayasingh, 2004). The main pigment responsible for the specific pinkish-red colour of cured meat is nitrosomyoglobin, which is formed as a result of combining myoglobin with nitric oxide (NOMb.…”

Myoglobin Chemistry and Meat Color

“…The sixth position of heme iron is available for binding with oxygen or other small ligands, such as carbon monoxide (CO) or nitric oxide (NO). The spacial arrangement of distal histidine and heme limits the size of the ligands occupying the sixth coordinate in native Mb and protects the heme by preventing its interactions with large biomolecules (Cornforth & Jayasingh 2004).…”

“…Denaturation of the globin exposes the heme group and increases the susceptibility of heme to oxidation. The pigments in cooked meat are coagulated because of the unfolding of the globin chain and therefore are insoluble in aqueous solutions (Cornforth & Jayasingh 2004). Heat-induced denaturation of MetMb results in denatured globin hemichrome (ferrihemochrome), which is responsible for the dull-brown appearance of cooked meats.…”

The physical, chemical and microbial effects of supplemental sodium nitrate on cured meat products

“…The first and most prominent effect from nitrite is the development of a desirable reddish-pink cured color (Cornforth & Jayasingh, 2004;Parthasarathy & Bryan, 2012). Meat color is important because color provides the consumer with perceptions of the product's palatability and quality (Grossi et al, 2014).…”