Meat Products

Abstract

AbstractConsumers not only prefer good tasting meat products, but they also are concerned with the nutrition, safety, and wholesomeness of the meat products they consume. Consumers have been told that red meat is a significant source of saturated fat and consequently the consumption of meat has shifted from red meat to poultry. In response to consumer demand, meat processors are marketing various types of low fat meat products. These low fat meat products can be produced by using leaner meat cuts or adding or substituting ingredients for moisture retention or mimicking the sensorial properties of animal fat. To ensure the safety of the processed meat products, the industry and government regulatory agencies are adopting the hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) system. The importance of the HACCP system is more obvious since consumers are demanding more convenient precooked products such as microwavable meat entrees or sous‐vide processed meat products which are not shelf stable. Descriptive terms on nutrition labels that convey information about the nutritional value or quality of a meat product are useful to consumers when making product choices.