Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Chemistry4me on 28/02/2009 08:06:02
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Why can't I see the blood vessels in the meat that I eat?
Something like beef, why can I not see any veins or arteries?
Even chicken [:P], why can I not see and blood vessels in the chicken breast? [???]
Where are these blood vessels? [???]
Or am I just not looking hard enough for them? [:)]
What do you think?
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By the way, if you're thinking genetically modified cows or chicks, sorry, but that's a no no.
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2 thoughts on this.
1) Large blood vessels tend to go between muscles rather than through them and hence not be included in a cut of meat from just one muscle.
2) Carcasses are 'bled out' following slaughter, so there would be little blood remaining in the circulation to expand the blood vessels. Collapsed vessels become difficult to see.
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Thanks, that explains it. [:)]
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So if I cut my arm in half I would see the blood vessels?
But if I cooked it then I won't be able to see anything?
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This is a good question. I wish I'd thought of it! I think you should email it in to the show and see what Chris and the team think.
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You mean the first one or the second one? [:D]
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I think SquarishTriangle is pretty much on the money.
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*looks under her seat*...
*remains poor*
*takes things far too literally* :)
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Actually I have come across arteries in my food. It mostly happens in steak/roast beef, but once in a piece of chicken breast. One time there was a really awful looking one. Going straight through my cut of roast beef was a nice thick artery (you could have put a toothpick through it), and the blood vessel branched off TWICE into smaller arterioles. It looked like a little rubber tree branch, and you could follow the main artery through the meat. Pretty cool stuff, at least I thought.
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You must eat big chicken and beef. [:)]
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Or a chicken with varicose veins!
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Ah, how nice of you to join us John Chapman. [:)]
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I’ve been recovering from an embarrassing operation for the last month.
No I haven’t. Really I’ve been in prison. That’s a lie. I’ve been on an undercover mission for Her Majesty’s Government. I joined the priesthood, entered an asylum, marooned on a desert island, become a sex slave, been on the run, working in the space station, died but they rebuilt me as RoboJohn.
Actually the truth is far more mundane. I’ve got the taxman on my back and found it necessary to work ridiculous hours to try and raise some quick cash. That, combined with an improbably dysfunctional family means that all I seem to have done for weeks is work, sort out family problems and sleep. It’s 2.30 am right now. I’m not long in from work and I started at 9am.
A few more weeks and I should be back regularly. I miss the banter.
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Well you'd better get some rest then matey!