How Should Meat and Meat Products Be Stored and Cooked in Hot Weather?

DANET, a meat and meat products brand that has held a strong position in the food sector since its establishment in 1975, graces millions of tables every day in Turkey and around the world. Applying the highest standards of food safety and quality without compromise , DANET offered its consumers recommendations for storing and cooking meat and meat products during the hot weather affecting the entire country.

Meat and Meat Products Are Very Important For Nutrition

Meat and meat products containing minerals such as iron, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium and zinc, in addition to highly digestible protein and vitamin B12, have an important place in human nutrition. Animal protein taken from meat and meat products is especially important for the development of brain cells. For a 70-kg person, 70-40 grams of daily protein needs of 50 grams should be met from animal protein, and for this, approximately 200 grams of meat and meat products should be consumed per day.

On the other hand, it is of great importance that meat and meat products, which are so valuable in human nutrition, are kept intact, especially in summer and hot weather, and cooked without reducing their nutritional value. Meat and meat products are perishable nutrients that stink when spoiled. In order to prevent the proliferation of physical, chemical and enzymatic factors and microorganisms that cause meat spoilage, cooling and freezing processes stand out as the most common methods applied in meat and meat products.

Beware of Hot Weather in Picnic Areas

Outdoor picnics and barbecues are part of our culture, especially in summer. However, in hot weather, it is necessary to be careful when taking meat and meat products to the picnic area and waiting there before cooking. Meat and meat products that we keep in the refrigerator in our homes may be exposed to the risk of spoilage if they are spent on the road for a long time while being transported to picnic areas. These foods should be transported in thermos bags that keep them cold, or at least with ice trays next to them. Temperature-sensitive products such as meat and meat products should be taken out of the refrigerator last. On the other hand, if there is no cooler in the picnic areas, it should not take a long time until the meat and meat products are cooked, and the products should not be kept in the heat and under the sun. In such cases, it is necessary to pay special attention to products made from minced meat, such as meatballs, meatballs, kebabs, and chicken products that can produce bacteria very quickly. It is also important that these products are cooked well and that they do not remain raw.

Getting Home After Shopping Shouldn't Take Long

The preservation of the cold chain in meat and meat products is of great importance, especially in hot weather. The concept of cold chain, on the other hand, needs to be considered not only between the production and the point of sale, but also covering the time that will pass until the refrigerator at home after the purchase. In summer, meat bought from the market or butcher can be kept in the trunk of cars for a long time until it goes to the refrigerator, which can cause the temperature to rise and spoilage in meat and meat products. In particular, ground beef is affected much more quickly by such errors.

Conscious Shopping 

Meat and meat products must be stored at 0 to +4 C degrees at points of sale. It is of great importance that consumers pay attention to the product temperature, expiration date and label information during shopping and that this issue is followed at the sales points. These types of products should be bought at the end of the shopping, if possible, they should be carried in bags or bags that keep them cold, and they should be transported to the house as soon as possible and placed in the refrigerator.

Conscious Freezing for Long-Term Storage 

Frozen meat products should be stored at -18 degrees Celsius. It is important that the temperature in the center of the meat is -18 ° C. Meat cooled in this way can be stored for 6 months to 1 year under suitable conditions. The most important issue here is that frozen meat should not be frozen again after thawing. Particular attention should be paid to this issue. To prevent this, DANET recommends that the meat be portioned according to the purpose of consumption and frozen in pieces before freezing.

It is necessary to cook meat without losing its nutritional value

It is important to use methods and techniques that will preserve the flavor and nutritional value while cooking meat. Cooking the meat with the appropriate method is important not only for the taste, but also for not causing various health problems. Cooked meat becomes ready for digestion by being chewed more easily, and the vitamins and minerals in its content are better absorbed, as well as being purified from harmful microorganisms that are at risk of harboring. However, meat cooked with the wrong technique and time loses its nutritional value. It should be noted that the meat does not come into contact with heat for too long during the cooking period, and on the other hand, it does not remain raw.

The techniques of frying, roasting, grilling, baking and boiling meat are generally used in cooking meat. It is recommended to prefer healthy cooking methods such as boiling, grilling and oven instead of frying and roasting during the summer months and during desert heat.

About DANET 

DANET, which was established in Afyonkarahisar in 1975 and has been bringing healthy, delicious, quality meat and meat products to the tables since its establishment, meticulously inspects all processes in the value chain extending from animal selection, which it specializes in, to the production, distribution and retail sales of meat products. The cattle, which are raised in selected fattening farms in Afyonkarahisar, where DANET provides the basic meat needs in production, and are considered the best cattle breed in Turkey, are slaughtered under the control of a veterinarian and in accordance with Islamic procedures. DANET products, which meet consumers in the butcher and delicatessen stores created by the company's own brand, as well as in the leading retail brands, are produced with halal certification and the highest food safety and hygiene standards in the production facilities spread over an area of ​​10 thousand square meters in Afyonkarahisar. Consolidating its growth performance with its institutionalization momentum, DANET exports to nearly 20 countries, in addition to its strong position in the Turkish market. Producing halal certified production, DANET's product portfolio includes different red and white meat products, as well as Afyon Sausage and Afyon Pastrami, which are registered as geographically indicated within the framework of the protocol signed with the Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ATSO) in 2020. DANET, which offers consumers fresh meat products as well as sausage, pastrami, roasted meat, ham, sausage, salami and smoked products, as well as turkey and chicken product options with over 80 flavor options, also sells home-delivered sacrificed animals. DANET employs approximately 400 people.

Source: HORECA Trend and DANET