What are the effects of stewing?

Stewing involves cooking food in hot water the temperature of which is kept below its boiling point. The operation continuing for a long time to make the substance tender, to loosen its texture, to render it more rapid and to retain and concentrate the most essential part of animal or vegetable food.

The changes that occur in stewing are similar in character to those that occur during boiling, although they occur at a slower rate.

*Stewing causes the breakdown of connective tissue fiber. This becomes gelatinous and allows the fibers to fall apart and become digestible.

*Unlike with boiling, the protein in food is coagulated without becoming tough. Stewing is, therefore, a particular suitable method for cooking tough meat.

*Stewing as a slow cooking method, results in considerable matter loss.

*The stewing process generates some substances harmful to bacterial growth and affects the quality of the material of the final product.

*If the stew is left to cook for too long a period the base of the stew in the pan can burn, and the meat or poultry in particular will fall apart and be stringy.
What are the effects of stewing?