Effect of Fat Content on Specific Heat of Meats

Specific heat of meats is considered to be affected by moisture, fat and other components. Using a differential scanning calorimeter, specific heats of gelatin, agar-agar, fatty acids and meats (beef, pork and chickin) were measured in the temperature range from 0 to 100°C. The effect of moisture content on specific heat of aluminium oxide could be expressed in the equation as follows: CP=0.04X+0.50 (CP; specific heat at 30°C, X; moisture content%). Average values of specific heats of dry gelatin and agar-agar in the range from 10 to 100°C were 1.49 and 1.37 (kJ/kg•K), respectively. Addition of 92% amount of water to gelatin and agar-agar resulted in the increase of specific heat to 3.53 and 3.46kJ/kg•K, respectively. Specific heats of fatty acids (C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, and, C18:2) exhibited higher values at the melting points due to latent heat. Mixture of 4 fatty acids of the equal quantities was found to increase specific heat at the melting points of the mixture, i.e. ca. 5°C and 60°C. Specific heats of beef, pork and chicken were compared in the temperature range from 10°C to 100°C. In the case of lean meats, there was little difference among the specific heats of 3 kinds of meats. A linear temperture dependence of ca. 0.5 kJ/kg•K was observed with the rise of temperature. Tallow, 1ard and chickin fat showed higher values of specific heat at the melting point, and a distinct difference of specific heat was detected in 3 kinds of meats in the sample containing a large amount of fat. The increase of specific heat was recognized at around 35°C in beef and pork.