Foreword

The aim of this book is to provide an approach to recent improvements in conventional meat products’ processing and the development and/or use of new technologies to students, researchers, and lecturers in the meat science and technology field, as well as professionals in the meat industry. Needs and demands by consumers for meat-based products have guided meat processing plants to adapt themselves to this new reality by implementing innovative technologies and ensuring that meat products are stable and microbiologically safe, nutritionally healthy, with good sensory characteristics, practical and of quick preparation, with compatible and affordable costs. Beef, pork, and poultry are the ones most used in meat products preparation. The use of additives and traditional techniques, such as fermentation and drying, salting, smoking, and cooking, contribute to the production of safe meat products. Chapter 1 provides an overview regarding the importance of the meat-based market in the world, as well as overall meat processing aspects. Chapters 2 to 7 describe conventional and emerging technologies presenting relevant and promising data applied in the processing of dry-fermented meat products, emulsified, salted and non-emulsified thick mass, marinated, and restructured products, and advancements in fresh meat tenderness. These chapters discuss the QDS (quick-dry-slice) technology that aims at reducing the processing time of sliced matured and/or fermented meat products; the use of ultrasound or high pressure to reduce salt contents of meat products as well as improve emulsion stability and replace pork fat; and new cooking methods such as microwaving, radio frequency and ohmic heating, the latter two could be used for reducing cooking time and production costs. Also, technologies such as pulsed light, ultraviolet light, irradiation, ultrasound, and high hydrostatic pressure may reduce microbial contamination of meat and meat-based products. Furthermore, the application of ultrasound waves could augment fresh meat tenderness. The use of such new technologies would reduce additives content, posing economic benefits such as reduced preparation time and reduced energy and water consumption. In addition, safety and quality are secured and the processed products have sensory characteristics similar to products obtained using traditional technologies. A specific chapter describes strategies for the development and production of meat analogues with nutritional and sensory properties typical of meat products to meet the demands of vegetarians and vegans alike. New approaches to the use of alternative ingredients in order to obtain meat-based products with technological, microbiological, and sensory quality are discussed in the last chapter. These new ingredients aim at replacing animal fat, reducing sodium chloride, and chemical additives, such as nitrites and synthetic antioxidants. The advancements in processing technologies and/or development of new meat-based products covered in this book were based on relevant literature and experiences of the authors with nearly two decades of experience in lecturing and researching, as well as technical-scientific interaction with meat processing plants. This book on Advances in Meat Processing Technologies ought to provide the readers with further knowledge regarding recent developments in the new technology for the full meat processing chain.