Muscle Lipids

The lipid components of muscle foods play a variety of critical functions. They are important sources and carriers of flavors both of characteristic beneficial flavors and detrimental off‐flavors. They contribute to the structure of meats and to their texture. Lipids also increasingly occupy the role of nutritional components even though the relative contribution of red meats, poultry and fish has been controversial. The importance of lipids in each of these functions is becoming increasingly appreciated. However, an understanding and prediction of how the chemistry of the respective lipids contribute to these three flesh food commodities remains a challenge for muscle chemists and biochemists.