Obtaining meat contains a complex set of factors that influence its quality and organoleptic characteristics
Obtaining meat contains a complex set of factors that interact throughout the entire food chain. The result is a wide range of very diverse meats in terms of quality and price, as is the case in other sectors, such as wine, in which the consumer differentiates wines of the year from a reserve.
Both productive and technological aspects are involved in this complex system. Thus, the farmer must direct his efforts to the production of animals with the appropriate tissue composition depending on the breed, age and feeding.
On the other hand, post-slaughter treatments such as aging in refrigeration chambers confer a series of modifications in sensory characteristics that improve meat quality. They produce a progressive softening, an increase in juiciness and the development of characteristic aromas.
Meat with maturation periods of several months under controlled conditions or processed meat products (ham) develop a specific microbiota that forms metabolites with healthy properties (probiotics) that are not yet sufficiently known. More studies should be carried out including biomarkers related to the intake of meat and derivatives to know the healthy contribution of these metabolites to our diet.
Research and innovation
It is unquestionable that the meat sector is one of the most powerful agri-food sectors. The research activity allows to obtain the necessary knowledge for its continuous innovation. International congresses and conferences serve as a meeting point for the business sector, Administration and universities and research centers dedicated to research into the science and technology of meat.
The growing interest in healthy eating has meant that meat and meat products are not only used to provide the necessary nutrients. In addition, they are expected to have additional functions to prevent disease and improve the health and well-being of consumers.
Conservation of animal biodiversity
It is also important to note that livestock production is supported by numerous breeds of livestock spread throughout the world. Of these, 30% are at risk of extinction. They are essential to conserve animal biodiversity and maintain the rural, social and ecological environment of our planet.
Breeders of autochthonous Spanish breeds of beef cattle availed themselves of the Regime of Denominations of Origin and Generic and Specific Denominations in order to make possible the differentiation of meats that, due to their racial and production characteristics, present a high quality.
In Navarra, the Pyrenean bovine breed, native to the area, is present in 85-90% of the Ternera de Navarra IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) farms, as confirmed by the technical secretary of the IGP Ternera de Navarra, Carmen Diaz de Cerio.
Vegetable and laboratory meat
The new foods synthesized in bioreactors using cell cultures to obtain the so-called “cultured meat” or from 3D printers do not correspond to the traditional meat resulting from the complex process mentioned above.
There is scientific evidence indicating that “cultured meat” requires drugs and hormones whose long-term health impact is unknown. Although antibiotics can be used in animal husbandry if they suffer from any pathology, the meat must always comply with the same regulations regarding the residues of these substances at the time of consumption. This aspect is not standardized in the case of “cultured meat”.
Products of plant origin are also manufactured, mainly derived from legumes and cereals, which try to imitate the traditional ones of animal origin. Many times they are synthetic substitutes to which a large number of additives are added to try to resemble the flavor and texture of those derived from meat.
The definition of meat for consumption is included in the Food Code. There it is made very clear what is meat and what is not. Wouldn’t it be more rigorous and objective to stop calling these new edible materials “vegetable” or “farmed” meat and create a new name to identify this new line of food products?
In search of a balanced and sustainable diet
The planet is under stress due to the accumulation of polluting gases, the increase in water consumption and the abusive use of land and forests. Selecting food sustainably to follow a healthy diet helps reduce impact and preserve the environment.
In 2050, the world population will reach 9.7 billion people, which will require a 50% increase in agricultural food. Therefore, it is necessary to search for alternative proteins to meat from other sources such as vegetables, insects, algae, fungi…
However, to alleviate global public health problems based on nutritional deficiencies in the case of some minerals (iron, iodine, zinc) and vitamins (such as A, D, B12, folate), it is necessary that protein sources of high biological value provide these macro and micronutrients to guarantee a balanced diet.
What tools do we have to guarantee foods of animal origin for a balanced and sustainable diet? The answer and possible solution may arise from different areas. Some of them are agricultural biotechnology, animal welfare, genetic improvement, production systems and evaluation of the environmental footprint, ecological production and the reduction of food waste.
We therefore need to work and collaborate to provide new foods that meet the nutritional needs of the people who inhabit the planet and, at the same time, adapt current production systems to make them more sustainable.
This article has been published in The Conversation.