Production and Processing of Healthy Meat, Poultry and Fish Products

Book excerpt: The central theme for this volume was chosen since consumers have great interest in purchasing low fat, low salt and reduced cholesterol meat, poultry and fish products. As in past volumes, experts in the field have been chosen to write chapters with emphasis on their breadth of knowl edge in each specific area. Efforts were also made to obtain authors from different countries in order to give the book a worldwide perspective. Chapter I stresses the nutritional and sensory properties that meat, poultry and fish products make to healthful diets and discusses consumer concerns about these products. Chapter 2 covers dietary recommendations in major consumer nations, along with data from food composition tables and the dietary contributions of meat, poultry and fish to meeting dietary needs. Chapter 3 discusses the labeling of low and reduced fat/salt prod ucts which, although written mainly from the US viewpoint, may serve as a model for labeling in other countries. Chapter 4 reviews the rationale for reducing fat-energy levels in muscle foods, problems encountered in their production and how these may be solved. Chapter 5 discusses the scientific basis for reducing the salt (sodium) content in food products and the health benefits derived from lowering salt intake. Methods of reducing the cholesterol content of these animal products is reviewed in Chapter 6.