NAME: ABU ZAR GHIFARI TSEN YUNG BIN MOHD ALFA

(2022677646)
MOHAMAD RIDHWAN BIN BANIYAMIN (2022642764)
IANN ROSHAN KILLAH (2022846958)
MUHAMAD ZIKRULLAH BIN PEKERI (2022809614)
COURSE: FST 261
GROUP: AS1162B
LECTURER: MDM. JUNAIDAH

EXPERIMENT 3
A. MEAT PIGMENT FORMATION
INTRODUCTION ~Zikrullah
The common way how to know freshness of meat is color. Color of meat indicate their freshness
and unfreshness or also contaminated microbial spoilage on the meat. Besides, the color from
meat was come from pigment, myoglobin. Another than that, the color is also contributed by
haemoglobin. Oxymyglobin and myoglobin have the capacity to oxidize (lose electron). It turn
pigment to a brown color known as metayoglobin. Furthermore, the salt soluble proteins will
come to surface of the meat when it’s added to the grounded meat. This is because the salt-
soluble proteins is extracted from the cellular structure. Other than that, salt also gives out
natural flavors, slowing down the growth of microbial growth and enhance color of foods. Salt
also increase water binding properties and reduce cook losses.

MATERIALS ~Zikrullah
• Meat
• Chopping board
• Balance
• Knife
• Spatula
• White paper plate
• Saran wrap
• Gloves
• Refrigerator
• Label sticker

• Ground meat

• 1% sodium nitrate solution (NaNO2)

• Pestle

• Graduated pipette, 2mL

• Beaker, 100mL

• Aluminium foil

PROCEDURE
I) Meat Pigment Formation ~Zikrullah

a) Meat was cut into small pieces to then be was place into the Food Processor for meat grinding.
b) 70 grams of ground meat was then also weighted and placed on a chopping board.
c) Beef patty, at thickness approximately around 1-inch was formed.
d) On a white paper plate, the beef patty was placed onto it. During this period, an observance of
color on the near edge of the patty and the center was performed.
e) Color differences are observed to determine which parts of the meats have gained oxygen.
f) The patty was then cut into 2 pieces of equal sizes at 1 inch thickness each.
g) 1 out of the 2 patties was wrapped in aluminium wrap, where oxygen is impermeable.
h) The other patty was left unwrapped, where oxygen is then permeable.
i) Each meat was placed on their own respective white paper plate.
j) The meats were refrigerated and colour changes were observe, where the meats rest in the
refrigerator for 2 hours.
II) Cured Meat Pigments ~Iann

a) 200 grams of ground meat were divided into 2 batches equally.

b) Each batch was placed into a beaker along with its label (1 and 2).
c) Beaker 1 was classified as the control (no additional substances were added).
d) Meanwhile, Beaker 2 had an additional substance which is 1.6mL of 1% sodium nitrate.
Hence, the mixture was mixed thoroughly for 3 minutes.
e) A pestle was used to stuff each batch of ground meat in their respective beaker.
f) The beaker was packed tightly in order for air to removed efficiently.
g) The beakers were then covered in aluminium foil.
h) The beakers were placed into the refrigerator overnight.
i) It was then removed, and the color of the meats were observed (surface and interior).
j) The meats in the beakers were cooked in boiling water for 15-20 minutes.
k) The color of both meats was observed (surface and interior).
B. EFFECT OF SALT ON BINDING CAPACITY
INTRODUCTION ~Iann
Salt has an interesting reaction with ground meat, where it makes salt-soluble protein come to the
surface of the meat. Within the scientific perspective, salt extracts the salt-soluble protein from the
cellular structure. Thus, the proteins are identical to glue. Salts are useful for many reasons, some
of which are releasing natural flavors, slows growth of spoilage microorganisms, and enhancement
of food’s color, odor and appearances. Salt also causes a necessary protein structure for the creation
of processed meats (i.e hot dogs and deli meats). Salt binds meat by extracting its proteins, which
“glues” together adjacent pieces of meat. Salt also increases water-binding properties, which
provides reduction in cook losses and contributes in enhanced textures. Furthermore, salt gives a
smooth, firm texture and color development to processed meats.

MATERIALS ~Abu Zar

• Ground meat
• Salt
• Glove
• Measuring cylinder, 10mL
• Mixing bowl
• Beaker, 25mL
• Spatula
• Weighing boat
• Food processor
• Balance
PROCEDURE ~Ridhwan

a) Gloves were worn when working with meats.

b) 50 grams of ground meat were placed into food processor.
c) 10mL water were added to meat. Then the meat was chop for approximately 15 seconds.
d) The meat was removed from the food processor.
e) Meat is formed into balls, to then be flatten into beef burger patty.
f) The slightly flatten meat was put on the palm of the gloved hand (palm up).
g) The gloved hand was then turned over (palm down). The effects were recorded (does the
meat stick on the hand or not?).
h) 50 grams of ground meat were placed into a food processor.
i) 4 grams of salt were dissolved into 10mL of water before adding the solution to the
meat.
j) The solution was then added to the meat, which was then chopped for approximately 15
seconds.
k) Steps from d) - g) were repeated.
Result ~Ridhwan

Meat pigment formation (fresh meat pigments)

Before refrigerate After refrigerate for 2 hours
Part of meat Colour of meat packaging Colour of meat
Near the centre No changes Saran wrap Brownish-red
Near the edge No changes unwrap red

Meat pigment formation (cured meat pigments)

Color of meat
Treatment Uncooked Cooked
Surface interior surface interior
Non-nitrite red Dark red red Light brown
meat
Nitrite meat brown brown Brown Brown

Effect of salt on binding capacity

Meat Observation (stick or fall)
Added with water Not stick
Added with salt solution Stick
QUESTION ~Abu Zar

1) What types of reactions are responsible for the colors observed in the various treatments?
What is the name of each pigment formed? Which reactions are desirable and which
represent common discoloration reactions?
- The reactions responsible for the color changes are microbial spoilage. The name of
each pigment formed are myoglobin, haemoglobin, myglobin, oxymyoglobin,
metamyoglobin, nirosomyoglobin and nitosohemechrome. The desirable reactions
are oxydation which is also a common discoloration reaction.

2) What is the effect of heating on the globin portion of pigment?

- The pigment of the meat is oxidized and turns brown.

3) What are the functions of salt in meat products?

- Salt is for preserving the meat from oxidation happening to the meat.
DISCUSSION ~Iann
The experiment went smoothly with minimal flaws. It is observable that in Experiment 3 Part A
Subsection 1, that initially before the process of refrigeration, there were no effects on the meats
whatsoever. When the experiment proceeded to wrapping 1 of the meat in aluminium foil and the
other left unwrapped, we can observe a change in colors with the meat. The aluminium foil
wrapped meat became brownish-red whilst the unwrapped meat appears to have a more saturated
red color. In regards to why the aluminium wrapped meat turns brown, this is due to the
blooming of meat started, however not fulfilling its blooming period. Oxidation develops more
rapidly when something restricts its oxygen flow during this period. On the contrary, the
unwrapped meat has a saturated red color due to it undergoing the blooming process and have no
restriction of oxygen flow.
We then proceed to Experiment 3 Part A subsection 2, where we find that the non-nitrite meat
has a red surface and a dark red interior before cooking by boiling water. This is due to the meat
undergoing the blooming process, where oxygenation of myoglobin occurs, which come through
the meats’ surface as it is exposed to oxygen. When cooking the meat, it is observable that the
meat maintains a red surface whilst the inner part of the meat is brown. This is because the inside
of the meat is being heated and thus is more focused in the cooking process compared to the
surface. We switch our focus to the nitrite meat, where the color changes to brown before the
cooking by boiling water. This is due to nitrite causing metmyoglobin to be formed, which in
turn, makes the meat turn brown. When heated, the cured meat compound will form
nitrosylhemochrome.

Furthermore, we now examine the results of Experiment 3 Part B, where we found that the meat
that was added with water does not stick on the gloved hand whilst the meat with added salt
solution does. The salt solution meat proves that when meat is mixed with salt solution, the
proteins are extracted, which therefore causes the stick on the palm of the gloved hand.

CONCLUSION ~Abu Zar

After the experiment concluded, we discovered that fresh meat color always changes from red to
darker red or brownish color when cooked because of myoglobin that goes through the process
of oxidation. Meanwhile the meat that has been mixed with salt (sodium nitrate) stays brown
after being cooked because salt oxidizes the meat before being cooked. Another note is that meat
with salt (sodium nitrate) helps bind meat by extracting its protein, so it is much stickier than
fresh meat.

References ~Ridhwan
Jay B Fox Jr. (1966). Chemistry of meat pigments. Journal of agricultural and food
chemistry 14 (3), 207-210.
Jacob, R. (2020). Implications of the variation in bloom properties of red meat: A
review. Meat Science, 162, 108040. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2019.108040
Committee, B. C. A. (2015, September 8). Meat Colour. Pressbooks.
https://opentextbc.ca/meatcutting/chapter/meat-colour/
Jeannine Schweihofer, Michigan State University Extension. (2014). Cured meat
color: Part 3. MSU Extension.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/cured_meat_color_part_3#:~:text=The%20nitrite
%2C%20usually%20dissolved%20in,when%20the%20product%20is%20heated.
LOGBOOK

~Ridhwan

~Abu Zar
~Iann
~Zikrullah