Introduction to Meat Processing Industry

Meat technology includes all steps from animal handling and slaughtering to production of different meat products. During animal handling, special attention is paid to animal welfare, not only to protect animals from suffering but also because of animal welfare’s importance for meat quality. The oldest processing methods (chilling, freezing, salting, smoking, drying and fermentation) are being readjusted with respect to equipment and consumer’s health issues. Special attention is given to preservation of meat’s nutritive value (milder heat treatment) and health promoting properties of the products (functional foods). Novel methods (irradiation, high pressure, pulsed electric field, pulsed light and cold plasma) struggle with some issues such as acceptance by consumers, expensive equipment and effects on food’s sensory properties. Along with novel products, demand for traditional meat products is still increasing which requires the uniqueness and quality of these products to be preserved, along with increased production capacity. Changes in consumer demand of meat products as well as increased global competition are causing an unprecedented spur in processing and ingredient system developments within the meat manufacturing sector. Consumers demand healthier meat products that are low in salt, fat, cholesterol, nitrites and calories in general and contain in addition health-promoting bioactive components such as for example carotenoids, unsaturated fatty acids, sterols and fibers. At the same time, competition is forcing the meat processing industry to use the increasingly expensive raw material “meat” more efficiently and produce products at lower costs.