Protein and Taste

Abstract

If the high-quality protein that meat yields up to the successful hunter or scavenger were the “nutrient among nutrients” in our evolutionary climb to modernity, one might reasonably assume that we should have developed some clear-cut, hardwired taste for it. Curious, then, that study after study characterizes uncooked fresh meat as essentially tasteless (Bender and Ballance 1961; Calkins and Hodgen 2007; Cambero et al. 2000; Crocker 1948; Cross et al. 1986; Farmer 1994; Geay et al. 2001:12; Landmann and Batzer 1966; Macleod and Ames 1986; Mottram 1998; Mottram et al. 2004; Ramarathnam et al. 1991; Rhee 1989; Shahidi et al. 1986; Stetzer et al. 2008; Wang et al. 1996; see also Hart and Sussman 2008:228). One of the first scientific studies to demonstrate the tasteless character of fresh raw meat was published over half a century ago by Crocker (1948:180):If the high-quality protein that meat yields up to the successful hunter or scavenger were the “nutrient among nutrients” in our evolutionary climb to modernity, one might reasonably assume that we should have developed some clear-cut, hardwired taste for it. Curious, then, that study after study characterizes uncooked fresh meat as essentially tasteless (Bender and Ballance 1961; Calkins and Hodgen 2007; Cambero et al. 2000; Crocker 1948; Cross et al. 1986; Farmer 1994; Geay et al. 2001:12; Landmann and Batzer 1966; Macleod and Ames 1986; Mottram 1998; Mottram et al. 2004; Ramarathnam et al. 1991; Rhee 1989; Shahidi et al. 1986; Stetzer et al. 2008; Wang et al. 1996; see also Hart and Sussman 2008:228). One of the first scientific studies to demonstrate the tasteless character of fresh raw meat was published over half a century ago by Crocker (1948:180):