Are You Aware of What Comprises the Meat?
Laura Schneider
2026-03-24
4 min. read
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It is not uncommon that after preparing 0.5 kg of minced meat, impurities remain on the bottom of the pan. When selecting meat, we should not only be guided by the attractive price, as it often does not go hand in hand with quality and manufacturers sometimes sell meat products that contain less meat than expected. Instead of focusing on quantity, it is worth concentrating on quality.
"You are what your food ingested"
„Firstly, we should pay attention to the way animals are raised. Without proper husbandry, we cannot talk about good meat quality. The conditions in which animals live and what they are fed can have a direct impact on the composition of the meat. Research shows that meat from grass-fed animals compared to meat from grain-fed animals contains slightly less of the saturated fatty acids, such as myristic and palmitic acids. Animals kept in overcrowded cages that have never had contact with sunlight often suffer from diseases. Therefore, they are often given antibiotics and vaccines that contain harmful substances that accumulate in their fat tissue. Therefore, it is important to choose meat from reliable farms where animals are raised in natural conditions and have access to fresh air and natural feed."
Are those truly the ingredients contained in meat processing?
Manufacturers strive to produce meat products such as hams, stews, sausages and pastries at the lowest possible price, which leads to a reduction in meat content, hence they fill them with other substances. Unfortunately, mainly due to these additives, processed meat is on the list of cancer-causing factors according to the WHO. During the traditional process of smoking meat products, during the burning of wood, large quantities of aromatic hydrocarbons (HWA) are produced, which, together with the fumes of the meat, get into the meat. The most toxic among them are benzo(a)pyrenes.
Preservatives along with other constituents
It is best to prepare meals oneself. High-quality schab can be cooked with herbs or baked in a marinade. In the store, one should carefully consider the composition and appearance of ham. Often, the meat content does not exceed 50%. Meat products may contain preservatives that protect against microbiological organisms. Such preservatives include sodium and potassium acetates, sodium (V) and potassium (III) nitrate. However, potentially carcinogenic substances may include sodium (III) nitrate (E250), which in combination with the products of future amino acid breakdown leads to the administration of nitrosamines, which may exhibit carcinogenic properties. It has been observed that the consumption of sodium (III) nitrate can be particularly dangerous for infants as it can lead to anemia. Meat products may also contain thickening agents such as phosphates. A diet rich in meat products may contain excessive amounts of phosphorus and lead to disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis in the future. Emulsifiers, antioxidants, stabilizers, and acidity regulators present in meat are considered safe substances.
Mechanically pulverized meat (MOM)
MOM is the primary component not only of nuggets available in fast food establishments, but also of parrots, pastries, sausages and meat preserves. MOM constitutes a pulverized raw meat-fat mass. The product is obtained by removing meat from bone-adjacent tissues after they have been separated from meat or poultry meat by mechanical means, which results in a modification of the structure of the muscle fibers. The meat-bone mass is compressed by special cylindrical sieves on which larger meat remains. The resulting mass contains meat, fat, cartilage, tendons, skin and connective tissue, which is then pressed. Products containing MOM are characterized by a lower nutritional value. They deliver a lot of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, but little protein. These products also contain larger amounts of preservatives, as the resulting meat-fat mass is not durable.
How to become a mindful food consumer?
The following guidelines help avoid harmful choices: - avoiding meat from factory farming; - purchasing meat only from verified vendors or organic farms; - avoiding processed meat products (if you enjoy them, you must carefully check the composition: meat content, number of preservatives, processing method); - limiting the consumption of smoked products; - preparing homemade pâtés and hams; - avoiding products with mechanically separated meat and products with a meat content of less than 80%.
