Unraveling the impact of heat stress on meat quality: integrating physiology, epigenetics, and postmortem biochemistry

npj Science of Food 2026 Open access

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Authors: Jong-Ho Lee, Xuecheng Jin, Won Seob Kim, Hong Gu Lee, Yuan H. Brad Kim
DOI: 10.1038/s41538-026-00840-5
Cited by: 1
References: 113

Abstract

Heat stress (HS) compromises meat quality through species-specific physiological and epigenetic mechanisms during the growth period. This review investigates how antemortem disruption in energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and proteolysis caused by HS drives diverse postmortem outcomes in poultry, ruminants, and swine. Therefore, these biochemical shifts induced by HS affect consumer preferences for meat, and the direction of change varies across livestock species.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Effects of Environmental Stressors on Livestock Meat and Animal Product Quality Animal Nutrition and Physiology

Publication details

Journal / source
npj Science of Food
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
10
Issue
1
Publication date
13 April 2026
Language
EN