Processed meat

Processed meat is usually any meat that has been changed to improve its taste or lengthen its shelf life. Meat processing includes salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, and adding chemicals that preserve meat.^[1] Processed meat is usually made from pork or beef, or it can be made of poultry or other kinds of meat. It can contain meat by-products like blood.^[2] Example of processed meat products include bacon, ham, sausages, salami, corned beef, jerky, hot dogs, lunch meat, canned meat, chicken nuggets, and meat-based sauces.^[3][4][5] Meat processing is all the processes that change fresh meat, except for simple tasks like cutting, grinding or mixing.^[6]

Various types of processed meat for sale at a supermarket