Turkey Flavor Chemistry

Turkey is one of the most well known meat around the around, especially during Thanksgiving season when the entire house fills with the aroma of turkey and its stuffing! Even this delicious and nutritious meat has a complex chemistry.

Main Components of Turkey Meat:

The three main chemical components are water, proteins and fats.

When raw, turkey breast meat is 74% water, 25% protein, 1% fat, and contains no carbohydrates. In a 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) reference amount, turkey breast supplies 465 kilojoules (111 kilocalories) of food energy, and contains high amounts of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, and phosphorus, with moderate content of pantothenic acid and zinc.

In addition to these main components, turkey also contains a variety of other chemical compounds, including:

• Minerals: Turkey is a good source of minerals such as selenium, iron, zinc, and phosphorus.

Selenium helps your body produce thyroid hormones, which regulate your metabolism and growth rate.

Zinc is an essential mineral needed for many different bodily processes, such as gene expression, protein synthesis, and enzyme reactions.

Finally, phosphorus is vital to bone health.

Additionally, turkey provides small amounts of magnesium and potassium.

• Vitamins: Turkey is a good source of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.

A diet rich in vitamins will promote efficient cell production, cell communication, amino acid formation and DNA production. 

• Amino acids: Turkey contains all nine essential amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.

Protein is important for muscle growth and maintenance. It gives structure to cells and helps transport nutrients around your body.

Additionally, a high-protein diet may even support weight loss by promoting feelings of fullness. Just 2 thick slices (84 grams) of turkey pack 24 grams of protein — an impressive 48% of the DV.

What’s more, turkey may be a healthier alternative to red meat, as some observational studies link red meat to an increased risk of colon cancer and heart disease

• Fatty acids: Turkey contains a variety of fatty acids, including saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

How Does the Chemistry Change during Cooking?

The chemistry of turkey changes during cooking. The proteins in turkey denature, or unfold, when exposed to heat. This denaturation process makes the proteins easier to digest. The fats in turkey also melt during cooking.

Protein Denaturation is the physical unfolding of proteins in response to such influences as extreme heat. The denaturation of myoglobin makes the protein unable to bind oxygen, causing the colour to change from the bright cherry red of oxymyoglobin to the brown of denatured myoglobin (equivalent to metmyoglobin).

This also makes turkey more tender and easier to digest.

The Maillard reaction is another important chemical process that occurs during cooking. The Maillard reaction is a complex series of reactions that occurs between amino acids and sugars. This reaction is responsible for the browning and flavor development that occurs when turkey is cooked.

To conclude, the Maillard reaction is responsible for the delicious flavors of baked meat. The heat from the oven breaks down the food's protein into amino acids. These amino acids then react with the sugars present in the food, which results in that delicious golden brown color of your turkey.

As the turkey cooks, the Maillard reaction produces various flavour compounds including: furans (meaty, burnt), furanones (sweet, caramel), pyrazines (cooked, roasted), thiophenes (meaty, roasted).

Why add Stuffing to a Turkey?

You may be wondering why stuffing is added when roasting a Thanksgiving Turkey, let’s answer that! 

That is because, considering the size and water content of the entire turkey, roasting it whole in the oven means it will make the turkey meat dry to get an even and properly cooked dish. That is why stuffing is added to give a source of extra moisture.

Turkey Related to Sleepiness?

Numerous times, arguments have been raised that turkey meat causes drowsiness after sleeping, as many have complained of not being able to stay wake after the Thanksgiving meal!

So, is turkey meat actually related to drowsiness? The answer is, no!

However, why did this debate even surface at the first place? That is because Turkey contains tryptophan, which plays a role in sleep. 

The amount, however, is not enough to make you fall asleep. The drowsiness after a Thanksgiving meal is more likely be due to eating a lot of high-fat and high-sugar foods. Monitor how much you eat and drink to avoid post-meal drowsiness.

Conclusion:

And that is the end of the deep dive into the complex chemistry of this hearty and delicious meat! Turkey is meat that is full of vitamins, minerals and of course protein and fat. So, including turkey into a balanced meal is always a good idea, making sure you’re not over consuming this rich meat. In the next Thanksgiving when you’re stuffing the turkey, take a moment to appreciate all the complex chemistry that occurs and that keeps together the taste and texture of turkey!