Red meat
Red meat is meat from mammals, including beef, pork, lamb, and venison, that is typically red when raw because of its myoglobin content.
Myoglobin: An oxygen-binding protein in muscle that gives meat much of its red color. Its concentration helps distinguish red meat from pale poultry and fish.
Maillard reaction: A set of heat-driven reactions between amino compounds and reducing sugars that creates browned flavors. It produces the browned crust and roasted aromas of seared meat.
Colorectal cancer: Cancer arising in the colon or rectum, often developing from precancerous growths. High consumption of processed meat is associated with increased colorectal cancer risk.
White meat: Meat with relatively low myoglobin content, commonly including poultry and some fish. It contrasts with red meat in muscle pigments and typical culinary classification.
Beef: Meat from cattle, commonly eaten fresh or processed. Beef is a major example of red meat and a distinct source of cuts and nutrients.
Curing (food preservation): Preserving food with salt, nitrite, or related agents to inhibit spoilage and alter flavor. Curing turns meat into products such as ham, bacon, and corned beef.
Iron deficiency: A shortage of iron that can impair hemoglobin production and oxygen transport. Red meat supplies readily absorbed heme iron, relevant to deficiency prevention and dietary trade-offs.
Processed meat: Meat transformed by salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other preservation methods. This subset of red meat has distinct preservation methods and health evidence.
Pork: Meat from domestic pigs, eaten fresh or processed. Pork is classified as red meat nutritionally, although some cuts appear pale when cooked.
Fermentation (food): Using microorganisms to transform food ingredients and develop acidity, flavor, or preservation. It helps preserve and flavor fermented sausages made from red meat.