Meat is a rich source of proteins, consisting of fats, vitamins, and minerals. The composition varies depending on the type of meat, which is divided into two categories: red and white. Due to its high protein and fat content, the chances of oxidation are increased.

The oxidation process causes meat spoilage. To protect it, recent technologies use various processing methods, as well as natural antioxidants.

Non-thermal processing techniques, including gamma irradiation, electron beam irradiation, high-pressure processing, and pulsed electric field, lead to safe and quality meat, as in recent technologies, conditions can be controlled.

In conclusion, recent technological advances play a role in improving the product's shelf life and human health, as revealed by the study "Recent Advances and Innovation in Meat with Reference to Processing Technologies," conducted by a group of researchers from the University of Liverpool.

The Path to Efficiency

Meat is an important part of the diet of most civilizations, often seen as a staple food because its proteins have a 70 percent biological availability in the body. As a result, it is often viewed as a highly nutritious survival stimulus.

At the same time, it is a concentrated source of B-complex vitamins, including vitamin B12, which is not found in plant foods, being also a good source of metabolic activity from iron and improving its absorption from other food sources.

Its amino acid composition supplements the nutrition of many plant foods. As a result, meat products are favored to meet protein needs, playing a crucial role in human nutrition. Although this type of protein has a lower biological value than egg albumin, meat is a vital source of iron, vitamins, and minerals.

Technological advances in agriculture and the intensification of animal husbandry have led to increased meat production volume and cost efficiency. For example, beef is relatively inexpensive and readily available in developed countries. Intensive meat production is advantageous for consumer happiness and public health.

Therefore, academic and industrial groups strive to improve the sensory characteristics of plant-based meats, as well as to research new approaches using cellular agriculture methodology for poultry.

Benefits and challenges

Alternatives to plant-based or cultured meat are studied in terms of production efficiency, product characteristics and impact categories. The application of meat processing technologies to replace traditional energy-intensive processes has the potential to reduce energy consumption and production costs and improve the sustainability of the meat sector without requiring infrastructure upgrades.

For example, high pressure processing (HPP) is used to ensure the safety and stability of high-value packaged products, resulting in a longer shelf life. Due to the batch treatment technique, it has some restrictions, however. HPP equipment should be designed in the future to focus on improvements in energy efficiency.

Tenderization of meat is the primary purpose of shock wave (SW) processing. But the limited number of unique applications complicates both research and broad technology comparison. However, if used on a small batch and aimed at replacing lengthy outdated processing, the technology appears to be more environmentally friendly and economically efficient.

In turn, ohmic heating (OH) is a new electric heating technology for industrial meat processing. Investigations have shown that it has the potential to be a cost-effective technique for treating meat products at a faster rate.

Another processing method using direct electricity is the pulsed electric field (PEF), which has a variety of applications in the meat processing industry, but further research is needed.

Other possible PEF applications, such as PEF-assisted cooking, should be investigated. New perspectives could then be opened to improve and preserve the sensory quality of cooked meat, especially for tough cuts of meat, both in kitchens and in the food sectors.

The industrial applicability of the evaluated technology is still limited to specific use cases. Then there are a variety of constraints that limit the rapid and successful spread of new technologies in the marketplace.

Nanotechnology in Meat Processing

The world's population, currently at 7.3 billion people, is anticipated to surpass 9 billion by the year 2050. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over 70% more food will be required by 2050 to meet the growing population's needs. Even as meat consumption declines in affluent countries, it will rise in the rest of the world.

Consumers have always been on the lookout for high-quality meat products with an attractive appearance and nutritional value. People choose meat from a variety of species, animals of different ages, sizes, and cuts based on their religious beliefs, social status, origin, diverse cultures, past experience, muscle and fat volume in the carcass, as well as the texture and flavor/aroma characteristics of the meat.

In response, food companies worldwide are creating new processing methods and innovative meat products to meet customer demand. Consequently, technological innovations such as nanotechnology can have a massive impact on the sector by promoting the development of new products as well as new packaging for them.

Food nanomaterials have the potential to improve bioavailability, antimicrobial effects, sensory absorption, and bioactive chemical delivery. However, there are obstacles in the application of nanoparticles due to knowledge gaps in processing substances such as stability of delivery systems in meat products, along with potential risks associated with the same features that provide benefits.

Nevertheless, nanotechnology is being used in meat processing in the form of nanomaterials that assist in food manipulation, financial matters, and quality purposes.

Ultrasonography and Infrared Processing

Ultrasound has been effectively used in various areas of food technology, either to replace or support traditional forms (cutting, degassing, and tenderizing meat). However, more research is needed to enhance the potential for efficiency in the use of current processes by optimizing process conditions (expanding ultrasound equipment).

When coupled with ultrasound, quite a few technologies have demonstrated the ability to properly regulate microbes in food. Ultrasound has the potential to contribute to advances in food safety, processing, and preservation as a result of these capabilities.

As infrared light passes through multiple layers of tissue, various technologies have evaluated and revealed strategies focusing on the use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy approximation for investigating a wide range of meat quality-related properties in livestock or carcasses.

According to recent evidence, a strategy involving the use of short frequencies (700–1100 nm) in the NIR region of the electromagnetic spectrum can non-invasively measure relevant meat quality boundaries in live animals.

Adding Plant-Derived Components

People are increasingly compelled to adopt more plant-based diets to mitigate the negative impact of current food provisioning on human health. To meet this need, the food industry is developing a new generation of plant-based alternatives for cheese, meat, milk, fish, eggs, and yogurt.

The main challenge in this field is to use healthy, accessible, and sustainable plant-derived elements such as proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates to mimic the desired texture, appearance, nutrition, mouthfeel, aroma, and utility of these products.

Plant-derived molecules significantly differ from animal-origin components in terms of physicochemical and molecular characteristics. It is essential to understand the underlying properties of plant-derived compounds as well as the methods by which they can be formed into structures similar to those found in animal-derived products.

Plant extracts are progressively used in meat products. Polyphenols (flavonols, tannins, and anthocyanins) and essential oils are the major bioactive components of plant food that can be utilized by the meat industry (especially from terpenes). These chemicals can be found in seeds, leaves, and fruits. For example, black pepper is a common ingredient primarily grown in tropical climates.

In recent years, the meat sector has placed significant emphasis on developing healthier meat products, mainly for positive dietary use. This objective could be achieved in two ways: by reducing harmful molecules and by increasing the proportion of beneficial bioactive components.

Natural food preservatives are gaining popularity in the meat industry. Plants rich in polyphenols used as natural food preservatives are the best option for partially or completely replacing synthetic preservatives.

Fruits, olives, grapes, herbs, spices, vegetables, and algae are just a few examples of natural sources. The presence of one or more -OH groups on one or more aromatic rings determines the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of these phenolic compounds.

Plant Extracts

Plant extracts are gaining popularity in the food industry due to their antibacterial properties, which help prevent unwanted flavors and enhance color stability in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products.

They are attractive candidates to replace synthetic compounds, which are often believed to have carcinogenic and toxicological consequences, due to their natural character. Extracting these antioxidant chemical substances from their natural sources, as well as assessing their utility in marketed articles, has proven to be an extraordinary challenge for researchers and food chain collaborators.

Certain essential oils, such as thyme, clove, and cinnamon oils, effectively suppress pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. People consume a lot of meat and related products.

High biological value proteins, selenium, vital amino acids, zinc, B complex vitamins, especially vitamin B12, vitamins, and minerals such as manganese and iron are all present in these meals.

Vegetables, fruits, by-products, and other plant materials can provide a cheap source of bioactive substances such as antioxidants and dietary fiber. Additionally, by reducing oxidative stress, antioxidants help prevent lipid and protein breakdown, limit toxin formation in meat products, and maintain color.

Dietary fibers help meat products have better physicochemical qualities and are also good for preventing nutritional and diet-related diseases. Meat-like sensory properties are achieved through a combination of processing methods and functional ingredients, which are essential for attracting non-vegetarian customers.

Sensory Science

Sensory science is a broad field of study that encompasses customer preferences and is used to evaluate and analyze consumer reactions to product characteristics.

At a food processing level, reproducing the aroma and texture of muscular meat, plant proteins have proven problematic due to the generation of unpleasant flavors generally created by legumes as well as a low content of saturated fats, which are responsible for succulence and tenderness.

Umami and the "meaty" aroma of plant proteins can be disguised or replicated using various flavoring agents and spices. Plant proteins can be used alone or combined with hydrocolloids to modify viscosity and generate a texture that resembles muscular structure.

Understanding the physicochemical characteristics of new plant proteins is necessary to increase public acceptance of meat substitutes and make significant progress towards more sustainable and flavorful diets, in balance with meat and meat product consumption.(PHOTO Dreamstime)