Does eating frozen meat for a long time have any effect on the human body?

I believe that many people have been storing frozen meat (some people also call it "zombie meat") in the freezer of their refrigerators for many years. On the one hand, they are unable to change this lifestyle habit, and on the other hand, they are very worried:

“Is eating frozen meat harmful to the body?”

Most people think that meat is best when it is freshly slaughtered, but this is really a big misunderstanding!

In our daily life, there are basically three kinds of meat we can buy:

The characteristics of these three types of meat are as follows:

As shown in the picture above, the taste of freshly slaughtered meat is not actually the best.

This is because, whether it is a pig, cow or chicken, after death, its meat will go through four stages.

Meat Quartet Stage 1: Rigor mortis - the hardest stage

Although they can no longer breathe and obtain oxygen, the cells are alive (the "soul" is still there), but unfortunately they can only breathe without oxygen.

Therefore, meat will produce a large amount of lactic acid, which will affect the taste and absorption of minerals.

After all, the living animals are scared to death when they are slaughtered, and the whole meat becomes "bad".

The muscle fibers are hard, the protein is coagulated, and there is little juice.

The meat at this time is not easy to cook crispy, the meat is tough, the chewing feeling is poor, and it is not conducive to digestion.

Stage 2: Post-ripening – best taste period

You're going to die anyway, so don't be nervous.

Muscle glycogen and protein gradually turn into flavor substances such as sugars, amino acids, and peptides.

Lactic acid is also slowly broken down into carbon dioxide, water and alcohol.

The muscles begin to become soft, juicy and elastic, with the best quality and the most delicious taste.

At this time, the flesh and "soul" are the fullest.

Stage 3: Autolysis – Taste decline period

If the meat is left at room temperature, bacteria will not be kind to it.

Its appearance and taste will deteriorate, but the meat will still be edible.

Stage 4: Corruption – forget about taste

If the meat is not refrigerated or cooked to sterilize it, bacteria will multiply in large numbers.

As a result, the protein is further broken down, the surface of the meat starts to become sticky and green, and the meat is about to become smelly.

At this point, the meat has no "soul" anymore (throw it away).

Comparing these four states of meat, let’s take a look at the corresponding situations of the three types of meat respectively.

Meat three normal hot fresh meat (freshly slaughtered meat)

The processing method is to sell it immediately after slaughtering it. Basically, it is bled and processed simply.

At this time, the meat is in the rigor mortis stage and is very hard.

The maturation process of livestock and poultry meat to eliminate rigor mortis can take hours or even days.

Chickens take several hours, pigs a day, and cows 9 to 10 days.

In this state, bacteria can easily multiply in large numbers and the meat can quickly enter the autolysis stage or even the corruption stage.

In fact, the freshly slaughtered [hot fresh meat] that we usually see in the vegetable market has been exposed to and stored at room temperature for a period of time before we buy it, and the microorganisms have multiplied in large numbers.

Cold Meat

The processing method is to quickly cool the meat to 0~4℃, generally using plastic wrap and air-filled packaging, and keep the temperature low throughout the subsequent transportation and sales process.

This can effectively eliminate lactic acid from the meat.

A protective film forms on the surface of the meat, reducing the evaporation of water and allowing the meat to calmly complete the changes that it should undergo after death:

From the rigor mortis to the post-ripening stage, the "fresh" taste is coming non-stop - the taste is the best.

And it remains in the post-ripening stage until the end of the shelf life.

You can take it home and eat it directly without thawing, or you can put it in the refrigerator and eat it the next day or the day after tomorrow without worrying about the loss of nutrients.

In fact, fresh meat has long been popular in Europe and the United States, and has gradually replaced freshly slaughtered meat and frozen meat. However, due to the limitations of the cold chain and manufacturing industry in China, fresh meat is not yet popular enough and the price is relatively high.

Frozen meat

The treatment method is to quickly reduce the temperature to below -18℃ and put it into the freezer.

Frozen meat is actually in the ripening stage, but it will easily enter the autolysis stage after thawing.

The bacteria are frozen, so they will not multiply in large numbers, but the moisture will evaporate easily, the meat fibers will become coarser, and the taste will be slightly compromised.

If thawed at room temperature, bacteria will multiply quickly, so it needs to be cooked as soon as possible.

Do not freeze repeatedly!!!

*Frozen meat is actually very safe (frozen meat produced in regular factories)

The frozen meat produced on a factory scale goes directly into a -18℃ freezer after slaughter. It goes through a set of strict standard production procedures, so there is no need to worry about safety.

*Frozen meat is also nutritious (provided it is not thawed repeatedly)

After frozen meat is thawed once, there will be a small loss of protein, but the impact is not significant and you can still eat the meat.

★Rehabilitate the name of frozen meat ("zombie meat"):

Frozen meat is edible and not as terrible as the legend says, but the taste is not the best. Also, remember to cook it promptly after thawing, and do not freeze it repeatedly after thawing.

If you don’t pursue the taste too much, frozen meat is still very friendly to your wallet, hehe.

References:

https://www.doc88.com/p-1184528410801.html