On the issue of natural loss of meat during low-temperature storage: mechanisms, regulatory aspects, and veterinary and sanitary assessment

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the processes of natural loss of meat from various types of slaughtered animals (beef, pork, lamb, poultry, as well as rabbits and nutria) under low-temperature storage conditions. The basis of this analytical review is the systematization and critical analysis of representative literary sources and the regulatory framework governing the processes of natural loss of meat and processed products under low-temperature storage conditions. The data obtained were processed and systematized using methods of comparative and logical analysis. The physicochemical and biochemical mechanisms underlying mass loss are considered in detail: evaporation of moisture, sublimation of ice, oxidative processes in lipids and proteins. A direct dependence of the percentage of meat loss on such factors as the type of animal, the initial category of meat quality, the morphological composition of the carcass (ratio of muscle, fat and bone tissue), storage parameters (temperature, humidity, air flow velocity) and the type of equipment used has been established. A comparative analysis of the current regulatory documents regulating the rates of natural loss of meat and meat products during refrigeration processing has been carried out. Special attention is paid to the veterinary and sanitary assessment of meat that has undergone shrinkage and the effect of natural loss processes on its organoleptic and microbiological parameters. It is shown that a correct veterinary and sanitary assessment makes it possible to differentiate natural loss from spoilage and make informed decisions about the future fate of the product, thereby ensuring the economic efficiency of production and the safety of meat products for consumers.