Flavor Intrinsic Character

Abstract

People prefer one meat over another, not in terms of its superiority in terms of aroma, visual appearance, tenderness, or juiciness but primarily on how it tastes. Savoriness or flavor is often the characteristic that draws a consumer to a meat product. Flavor is a complex sensory trait. This chapter presents a review of the scientific literature concerning the factors contributing to the complexity of flavor. These factors include the following: (1) flavor is possibly the most subjectively sensed trait; (2) flavor can be viewed as a two-sided sensory event, represented on the good side as robustness of meaty flavor and alternatively on the dark side as an array of off-flavors; (3) people vary in their ability to detect flavor and in their perception of what flavor is desirable; (4) the flavor of red meat is created during the cooking process, and all the chemistry inherent in the raw meat contribute to this sensory characteristic; and (5) the intrinsic flavor of cooked meat can be enhanced or masked by the spices and flavor amendments used during cooking and preparation. This chapter presents the state of the science concerning the complex trait of red meat flavor and draws inferences concerning means to create flavors distinctive to the palates of an array of consumer preferences.