In general, the metabolic activity

In general, the metabolic activity of the ephemeral microbial association, which prevails in a meat ecosystem under certain aerobic conditions or generally introduced during processing, leads to the manifestation of changes or spoilage of meat. These changes or spoilage are related to the (i) type, composition and population of the microbial association and, (ii) the type and the availability of energy substrates in meat. Indeed the type and the extent of spoilage is governed by the availability of low-molecular weight compounds (e.g., glucose, lactate) existing in meat. By the end of this phase changes and subsequently overt spoilage is due to catabolism of nitrogenous compounds and amino acids as well as secondary metabolic reactions.