Processed Meats : Improving Safety, Nutrition and Quality

In a market in which consumers demand nutritionally-balanced meat products, producing processed meats that fulfil their requirements and are safe to eat is not a simple task. Processed meats: Improving safety, nutrition and quality provides professionals with a wide-ranging guide to the market for processed meats, product development, ingredient options and processing technologies.

Part one explores consumer demands and trends, legislative issues, key aspects of food safety and the use of sensory science in product development, among other issues. Part two examines the role of ingredients, including blood by-products, hydrocolloids, and natural antimicrobials, as well as the formulation of products with reduced levels of salt and fat. Nutraceutical ingredients are also covered. Part three discusses meat products’ processing, taking in the role of packaging and refrigeration alongside emerging areas such as high pressure processing and novel thermal technologies. Chapters on quality assessment and the quality of particular types of products are also included.

With its distinguished editors and team of expert contributors, Processed meats: Improving safety, nutrition and quality is a valuable reference tool for professionals working in the processed meat industry and academics studying processed meats.

• Provides professionals with a wide-ranging guide to the market for processed meats, product development, ingredient options, processing technologies and quality assessment
• Outlines the key issues in producing processed meat products that are nutritionally balanced, contain fewer ingredients, have excellent sensory characteristics and are safe to eat
• Discusses the use of nutraceutical ingredients in processed meat products and their effects on product quality, safety and acceptability

Prof. Joe P. Kerry is a senior college lecturer and head of the food packaging and material sciences group in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork (UCC). He received his Doctorate in Microbiology at University College Galway in 1995. He then moved to the Department of Food Technology in UCC where he held several postdoctoral positions before being appointed as a College lecturer in 1999. Professor Kerry is a qualified member of the Institute of Packaging and a research member of AMBER. He is, and has been, very involved in national and international research projects both at fundamental and applied levels. Primary research interests address various aspects of general food processing and formulation, food packaging, shelf-life stability, food composition and numerous aspects of food quality, particularly in relation to muscle foods (meat, poultry and seafood) or plant-based analog products representing same. He also has very strong links with industry and his research team assists companies in relation to many aspects of new food product development. He has over 450 publications in peer-reviewed international journals, over 400 presentations at major international conferences, along with several other significant publications by way of edited books, book chapters and national reports. His expertise includes use and manipulation of packaging materials and systems for use with foods, use of extrusion technology for the manufacture of food products/packaging materials, applications and new technology developments within the area of food packaging throughout the distribution chain, especially in the field of smart packaging (active and intelligent systems) and the material sciences of packaging. Prof. Kerry is an editor for Food Packaging and Shelf-life, Packaging Technology and Science and an associate editor for Meat Science. He has served on boards and committees, both within and externally to UCC. Prof Kerry serves as the academic director for the Blás na hEireann - National Food Awards. He has served on the organizing and scientific committees for numerous scientific conferences.

Dr John F. Kerry is a Director and shareholder of Echo Ovens Ltd, Ireland. He is widely regarded for his work on value added Meats and related RTE processing technologies.