Meat storage and preparation (11-14 Years)

All food needs to be stored and prepared safely. New developments in preservation and packaging of meat have lead to a greater variety and range of fresh meat and meat products. 

Preservation and packaging can help to prevent food deterioration and food poisoning. For wise consumers, this is economical and also reduces food wastage. A sound knowledge of different preparation and cooking techniques for meat will also improve the quality and flavour of products and meals.

This section explains the different methods of food preservation, and how the different methods affect the texture, colour and flavour of meat meals. 

Key messages

The key messages of the module include: 

• Food preservation is important to increase the shelf life of products.
• Shelf life depends on: water; acidity; hygienic handling; methods of preservation.
• Convection is where currents of hot air or hot liquid transfer the heat energy to the food.
• Conduction is where heat is transferred through solid objects by the vibration of heated molecules. 
• Radiation is where heat is transferred from a heat source in the form of rays which travel quickly in straight lines. 
• Meat can be tenderised by physical action, enzymes or acids and marinades.
• Meat changes colour during food preparation when the pigment myoglobin changes.

Classroom activities

• Use the presentation to complete the worksheet Meat storage and preparation.
• Ask groups of students to complete the worksheet Cooking with red meat. Following completion of the worksheet, ask students to identify ways of reducing fat in each of the selected recipes.
• Review the recipes cooked in class and ask them to identify which method of heat transfer would be used.
• Ask students to take note of the different types of food packaging they used over one day. Compare and discuss results in the classroom.
• Assign students the homework task of identifying five different types of packaged meat in the supermarket. Students could record the type of packaging and the date marks found on these.