Work

Unraveling the impact of heat stress on meat quality: integrating physiology, epigenetics, and postmortem biochemistry

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Heat stress (HS) compromises meat quality through species-specific physiological and epigenetic mechanisms during the growth period. This review investigates how antemortem disruption in energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and proteolysis caused by HS drives diverse postmortem outcomes in poultry, ruminants, and swine. Therefore, these biochemical shifts induced by HS affect consumer preferences for meat, and the direction of change varies across livestock species.

Source: npj Science of Food

DOI: 10.1038/s41538-026-00840-5

Authors: Jong Ho Lee, Xue Cheng Jin, Won Seob Kim, Hong Gu Lee, Yuan H. Brad Kim

Institutions: Purdue University West Lafayette, Konkuk University, Daegu University

Language: English

Topic: Meat and Animal Product Quality

Subfield: Animal Science and Zoology

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,790