Structured Meat Products

After an animal has been slaughtered, the objective is to maximise the conversion of the carcass to safe edible foodstuff. As a result, mankind has experimented empirically and created a host of meat products. Their classification depends on the initial raw materials, type of processing and characteristics of the final product. So, a first classification is between entire pieces (i.e., cooked meat pieces, hams, etc.); coarse comminuted meats (burgers and reformed or restructured meat); and minced meats (i.e., sausages). Types of processing include cooking, salting (curing), drying, fermentation, and almost any combination of these that provides protection against microbial spoilage and yet offers an edible texture and flavour (Flores and Toldrá 1993). As a result, a wide variety of products are obtained.