CATEGORIES OF PROCESSED MEAT
PRODUCTS
When viewing meat products of various size, shape and colour in butcher shops or meat
sections of supermarkets, there appears to be is a great variety of such products with
different taste characteristics. In some countries there may be several hundred different
meat products, each with its individual product name and taste characteristics.
At a closer look, however, it turns out that many of the different products with different
product names have great similarities. This issue can be even better understood and
becomes more transparent when the processing technologies are analyzed. Based on the
processing technologies used and taking into account the treatment of raw materials and
the individual processing steps, it is possible to categorize processed meat products in six
broad groups.
Table 5: Meat products grouped according to the procesing technology applied
Based on the grouping the meat products and their processing technologies are described
in detail in the respective chapters (page 103, 115, 127, 149, 171, 221). Hereunder, a
definition of each group is given:
Fresh processed meat products
Definition
These products are meat mixes composed of comminuted muscle meat (Fig. 125, 126,
127), with varying quantities of animal fat. Products are salted only, curing is not
practiced. Non-meat ingredients are added in smaller quantities for improvement of
flavour and binding, in low-cost versions larger quantities are added for volume
extension. All meat and non-meat ingredients are added fresh (raw). Heat treatment
(frying, cooking) is applied immediately prior to consumption to make the products
palatable. If the fresh meat mixes are filled in casings, they are defined as sausages (e.g.
frying sausages). If other portioning is customary, the products are known as patties,
kebab, etc. Convenience products, such as chicken nuggets (see page 190), have a
similar processing technology and can also be included in this group. In contrast to the
rest of the group, chicken nuggets etc. are already fried in oil at the manufacturing stage
during the last step of production.
Fig. 125: Fresh raw beef
patties
Fig. 126: Fried fresh
sausages
(left) patties (right)
Fig. 127: Chicken nuggets and
beef
Cured meat cuts
Entire pieces of muscle meat and reconstituted products
Definition
Cured meat cuts are made of entire pieces of muscle meat and can be sub-divided into
two groups, cured-raw meats (Fig. 128) and cured-cooked meats (Fig. 129). The curing
for both groups, cured-raw and cured-cooked, is in principle similar: The meat pieces
are treated with small amounts of nitrite, either as dry salt or as salt solution in water.
The difference between the two groups of cured meats is:
Cured-raw meats do not undergo any heat treatment during their manufacture.
They undergo a processing period, which comprises curing, fermentation and
ripening in controlled climatized conditions, which makes the products palatable.
The products are consumed raw/uncooked.
Cured-cooked meats, after the curing process of the raw muscle meat, always
undergo heat treatment to achieve the desired palatability.
Fig. 128: Cured-raw ham
Fig. 129: Cured-cooked products
Raw-cooked meat products
Definition
The product components muscle meat, fat and non-meat ingredients which are processed
raw, i.e. uncooked by comminuting and mixing. The resulting viscous mix/batter is
portioned in sausages or otherwise and thereafter submitted to heat treatment, i.e.
cooked. The heat treatment induces protein coagulation which results in a typical firmelastic texture for raw-cooked products (Fig. 130, 131). In addition to the typical texture
the desired palatability and a certain degree of bacterial stability is achieved.
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Fig. 130: Viennas, hotdogs
Precooked-cooked meat products
Definition
Fig. 131: Sausages and meat loaf of
the raw-cooked type
Precooked-cooked meat products contain mixes of lower-grade muscle trimmings, fatty
tissues, head meat, animal feet, animal skin, blood, liver and other edible slaughter byproducts. There are two heat treatment procedures involved in the manufacture of
precooked-cooked products. The first heat treatment is the precooking of raw meat
materials and the second heat treatment the cooking of the finished product mix at the
end of the processing stage. Precooked-cooked meat products are distinguished from the
other categories of processed meat products by precooking the raw materials prior to
grinding or chopping, but also by utilizing the greatest variety of meat, animal by-product
and non-meat ingredients (Fig. 132, 133, 134).
Fig. 132: Blood sausage
Fig. 133: Liver pate
Fig. 134: Corned beef in cans
Raw-fermented sausages
Definition
Raw-fermented sausages are uncooked meat products and consist of more or less coarse
mixtures of lean meats and fatty tissues combined with salts, nitrite (curing agent),
sugars and spices and other non-meat ingredients filled into casings. They receive their
characteristic properties (flavour, firm texture, red curing colour) through fermentation
processes. Shorter or longer ripening phases combined with moisture reduction
(drying) are necessary to build-up the typical flavour and texture of the final product.
The products are not subjected to any heat treatment during processing and are in most
cases distributed and consumed raw (Fig. 135, 136).
Fig. 135: Raw-fermented sausages
Fig. 136: Naem, a fermented product
from South-East Asia
Dried meat products
Definition
Dried meat products are the result of the simple dehydration or drying of lean meat in
natural conditions or in an artificially created environment (Fig. 137, 138). Their
processing is based on the experience that dehydrated meat, from which a substantial part
of the natural tissue fluid was evaporated, will not easily spoil. Pieces of lean meat
without adherent fat are cut to a specific uniform shape that permits the gradual and equal
drying of whole batches of meat. Dried meat is not comparable to fresh meat in terms of
shape and sensory and processing properties, but has significantly longer shelf-life. Many
of the nutritional properties of meat, in particular the protein content, remain unchanged
through drying.
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Fig. 137: Biltong from Southern Africa
Fig. 138: Meat floss (beef, chicken, pork)
from East and SE-Asia
