Abstract: In the meat industry, calcium salts are often used in tenderness improvement, as nutritional fortifiers in meat products, or as a partial substitute for sodium chloride in low-sodium meat products. However, it has been found that calcium salt treatments can readily meat color deterioration. Currently, there are many disagreements on the effect of calcium on meat color, which may be associated with the type and addition amount of calcium salts various environmental factors. In order to clarify the mechanism underlying the effect of calcium on meat color, the relationship between calcium and lipid oxidation and metmyoglobin reducing capacity in meat is considered in this paper. Meanwhile, it reviews recent research on the effect of calcium on the color and color stability of meat and meat products. We hope that this review will provide a basis for reasonable application of calcium in meat production.

Key words: calcium ion, meat color, meat color stability, metmyoglobin reducing activity, lipid oxidation