The hemoglobin of the red corpuscles is the pigment giving blood its
purplish-red color. The combination of hemoglobin with oxygen forms
oxyhemoglobin, which is a bright scarlet. Meat is a darker bluish-red when
first cut, but if the cut surface remains exposed to the air it becomes a
brighter red color. When hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin are acted upon
by enzymes, acids, alkalies, or heat, various decomposition products are
formed. Hematin is one of the decomposition products formed by heat.
The coagulating temperature of oxyhemoglobin is around 64°C. Thus
when meat is cooked to temperatures higher than this the production of
hematin brings about the brown or gray color of well-done meats. Dilute
acids or alkalies may also produce hematin from hemoglobin.
Muscle pigments. The red pigments of muscles resemble the hemoglobin
of the blood. These pigments are sometimes designated as chromatin sub-
stances. Whipple and Robscheit-Robbins call them muscle hemoglobin, and
they have reported that the properties of the muscle hemoglobin are prac-
tically the same as or identical with those of blood hemoglobin. Whipple
has found the content of muscle hemoglobin higher in active hunting dogs
than in inactive house dogs. He states that under different conditions the
muscles may contain from 10 to 80 grams of muscle hemoglobin for each
100 grams of blood hemoglobin.
Skeletal muscles vary in color in the same animal and in different species.
Sometimes the pigmentation varies in the same species but with different
types or breeds. Dairy cattle have darker-colored muscles than the beef
types. The color of the muscle of the young animal is often lighter than
that of the same muscle from an older animal. Veal is lighter in color
210 MEAT
than beef, and the leg muscles of broilers are lighter than those of mature
fowls. Different muscles of the rabbit vary in color from a very light pink
to a deep red. The different muscles of pork also vary in color. In general
the muscles of the lower animals are not pigmented, with the exception
of the heart muscle. The muscles of fish are white or light in color, but
the muscles of nearly all mammals are red. Needham states that "red pig-
mentation seems to occur in muscles from which the most persistent and
prolonged activity is required." Earlier investigators have also suggested
that in general pigmentation occurs in muscles used most frequently.
Ejfect of ripening upon meat pigments. Meat that has been ripened 40
to 60 days is usually a deeper gray in color, when cooked, than unripened
meat from the same animal, provided the cooking conditions are the same.
The darker color may be due to the action of enzymes and acid upon the
hemoglobin, so that more hemoglobin is broken down to produce hematin
at lower cooking temperatures, or it may be due to other factors.
Non-nitrogenous extractives. Lactic acid is always present in muscle
tissue. The amount is small while the muscle is at rest and increases during
and after exercise. After death the percentage of lactic acid in the muscle
increases.
Page 167
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The hemoglobin of the red corpuscles is the pigment giving blood its
purplish-red color. The combination of hemoglobin with oxygen forms
oxyhemoglobin, which is a bright scarlet. Meat is a darker bluish-red when
first cut, but if the cut surface remains exposed to the air it becomes a
brighter red color. When hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin are acted upon
by enzymes, acids, alkalies, or heat, various decomposition products are
formed. Hematin is one of the decomposition products formed by heat.
The coagulating temperature of oxyhemoglobin is around 64°C. Thus
when meat is cooked to temperatures higher than this the production of
hematin brings about the brown or gray color of well-done meats. Dilute
acids or alkalies may also produce hematin from hemoglobin.
Muscle pigments. The red pigments of muscles resemble the hemoglobin
of the blood. These pigments are sometimes designated as chromatin sub-
stances. Whipple and Robscheit-Robbins call them muscle hemoglobin, and
they have reported that the properties of the muscle hemoglobin are prac-
tically the same as or identical with those of blood hemoglobin. Whipple
has found the content of muscle hemoglobin higher in active hunting dogs
than in inactive house dogs. He states that under different conditions the
muscles may contain from 10 to 80 grams of muscle hemoglobin for each
100 grams of blood hemoglobin.
Skeletal muscles vary in color in the same animal and in different species.
Sometimes the pigmentation varies in the same species but with different
types or breeds. Dairy cattle have darker-colored muscles than the beef
types. The color of the muscle of the young animal is often lighter than
that of the same muscle from an older animal. Veal is lighter in color
210 MEAT
than beef, and the leg muscles of broilers are lighter than those of mature
fowls. Different muscles of the rabbit vary in color from a very light pink
to a deep red. The different muscles of pork also vary in color. In general
the muscles of the lower animals are not pigmented, with the exception
of the heart muscle. The muscles of fish are white or light in color, but
the muscles of nearly all mammals are red. Needham states that "red pig-
mentation seems to occur in muscles from which the most persistent and
prolonged activity is required." Earlier investigators have also suggested
that in general pigmentation occurs in muscles used most frequently.
Ejfect of ripening upon meat pigments. Meat that has been ripened 40
to 60 days is usually a deeper gray in color, when cooked, than unripened
meat from the same animal, provided the cooking conditions are the same.
The darker color may be due to the action of enzymes and acid upon the
hemoglobin, so that more hemoglobin is broken down to produce hematin
at lower cooking temperatures, or it may be due to other factors.
Non-nitrogenous extractives. Lactic acid is always present in muscle
tissue. The amount is small while the muscle is at rest and increases during
and after exercise. After death the percentage of lactic acid in the muscle
increases.