What are processed meats?
Processed meat ingredients are meat products that have undergone significant industrial transformation beyond basic cutting or grinding. These include mechanically separated meat, meat by-products, meat protein isolates, restructured meat, cured meats, and various preserved meat preparations. The processing methods used — including mechanical separation, chemical treatment, smoking, curing, and extrusion — fundamentally alter the structure and composition of the original meat tissue. In the NOVA food classification system, products containing mechanically separated meats, meat protein isolates, and restructured meat are typically classified as ultra-processed foods due to the industrial nature of these transformations.
12,093 products in our database contain processed meats. 8,345 of them (69%) are Level 4, the most processed of our four levels.
Which foods contain processed meats?
Processed meat ingredients are found in hot dogs, sausages, deli meats, bacon, ham, bologna, pepperoni, chicken nuggets, meat patties, canned meats, frozen entrees, pizza toppings, lunch meats, jerky, and many convenience food products.
Cajun Style Chicken Sausage
Montreal Steak Seasoned Smoked Sausage
Squeezables Lowfat Yogurt
Danimals Squeezables Lowfat Yogurt
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Berries 'N Cherries Fruit Snacks, Berries 'N Cherries
Lemon, Apple, Strawberry, Cherry, Orange, Pineapple Gummy Bears, Lemon, Apple, Strawberry, Cherry, Orange, Pineapple
Cherry, Orange, Lemon, Pineapple, Apple, Strawberry Gummy Bears, Cherry, Orange, Lemon, Pineapple, Apple, Strawberry
Mini Gummy Bears Dessert Toppers, Strawberry, Lemon, Apple, Pineapple, Cherry, Orange
Gummy Bears, Cherry Lemon Pineapple Orange Apple Strawberry
Original Mixed Berry Low Fat Yogurt, Mixed Berry
Roasted Garlic Smoked Turkey Sausage, Roasted Garlic
Fruit Juice Gummy Bears, Fruit
Cherry, Lemon, Pineapple, Orange, Apple, Strawberry Gummy Bears Candy, Cherry, Lemon, Pineapple, Orange, Apple, Strawberry
Crab-Flavored Seafood
Alaskan Snow Legs
Twisted Rainbow Punch Ropes Candy, Twisted Rainbow Punch
Sweetarts
Dutch Licorice Coins
Vanilla Probiotic Formula Blended Whole Milk Yogurt, Vanilla
Coconut Blended Whole Milk Yogurt, Coconut
Yplt Orig Strwbry Low Fat Ygrt
Yop Orig Vanilla Lowfat Yogurt
Peach Lowfat Yogurt, Peach
Anderson Erickson Dairy
Key Lime Pie Lowfat Yogurt, Key Lime Pie
Anderson Erickson Dairy
Cherry Vanilla Lowfat Yogurt, Cherry Vanilla
Anderson Erickson Dairy
Blueberry Lowfat Yogurt, Blueberry
Anderson Erickson Dairy
Meatballs, Turkey
Rosina
Appile Pie Lowfat Yogurt, Appile Pie
Anderson Erickson
Strawberry Vanilla Lowfat Yogurt, Strawberry Vanilla
Anderson Erickson Dairy
French Vanilla Bean Lowfat Yogurt, French Vanilla Bean
Anderson
Yoplait Original French Vanilla Gluten-Free Low-Fat Yogurt Cup
Yoplait
Strawberry Banana 1% Lowfat Yogurt , Strawberry Banana
Anderson Erickson Dairy
Shoprite, Bite Sized Frosted Shredded Wheat
Parker House, Sliced Sagey Souse
Festive, Taco Seasoned Ground Turkey
Collagen Peptide Drink Mix
Cbb, Crunchy Rice Rolls
White Rice Crispy Rolls, White Rice
Dr. Snack
Brown Rice Crispy Rolls, Brown Rice
Dr.snack
Plain Lowfat Yogurt, Plain
Anderson Erickson
Plain Low Fat Yogurt, Plain
Lala
Sliced Spanish Tapas
Peppermint Curiously Strong Mints, Peppermint
Altoids
Stevia & Monk Fruit Sweetener with Glow Collagen Peptides Sticks, Stevia & Monk Fruit
Beauty Blend Infused Tea Biodegradable Filter Bags, Beauty Blend
Sour Cream, Light
Knudsen
Dairy-Free Collagen 10 G Creamer Hair, Skin & Nail Support Powder, Caramel, Caramel
Dose & Co.
Peanut Butter Flavor Protein Powder, Peanut Butter
Gelicious Collagen
Original Gelatine
Original Unflavored Gelatine Envelopes, Original Unflavored
Unflavored Gelatin
Unflavored Hair, Skin and Nail Support Collagen Peptides, Unflavored
Unflavored Collagen Peptides
Organic Cacao Powder with Maca
Collagen Peptides
Unflavored Gelatin
Dgari
Red Maca Organic Gelatinized Powder, Red Maca
Incas Gold
Unflavored Gelatin, Unflavored
Ahold
Unflavored Gelatin, Unflavored
Hill Country Fare
Unflavored Beef Gelatin, Unflavored
Great Lakes Gelatin Co.
Unflavored Collagen Peptides, Unflavored
Primal Kitchen
Also known as
Processed Meats can appear in ingredient lists under several names. If you see any of the following, this is the ingredient family you are looking at:
Function
Processed meat ingredients serve as protein sources, flavor contributors, and texture agents in manufactured food products. Mechanically separated poultry provides a low-cost protein paste for hot dogs, nuggets, and bologna. Meat by-products utilize organ meats and trimmings that would otherwise be discarded. Curing with sodium nitrite develops characteristic color and flavor in bacon, ham, and deli meats while also inhibiting microbial growth. Restructured meats use binding agents and mechanical processes to form uniform products from smaller meat pieces or trimmings.
Sources
Processed meat ingredients are produced through various industrial methods. Mechanical separation uses high-pressure machinery to force meat from bones, creating a paste-like product. Curing involves treating meat with salt, sodium nitrite, and other curing agents. Smoking exposes meat to wood smoke for flavor and preservation. Restructured meats use tumbling, massaging, and binding agents (such as transglutaminase, phosphates, and carrageenan) to form cohesive products from smaller pieces. Meat protein isolates are produced by extracting and concentrating protein from meat tissues using industrial separation methods.
Health considerations
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen based on its evaluation of the evidence. Processed meats typically contain sodium nitrite, which is regulated by the USDA at specific maximum levels. Sodium content in processed meats tends to be higher than in fresh meat products and must be declared on the Nutrition Facts label. Mechanically separated poultry must be labeled as such per USDA regulations.
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
Regulatory
Processed meat products are regulated by the USDA FSIS with specific standards of identity and labeling requirements. Mechanically separated poultry must be labeled and is limited to certain product types. Mechanically separated beef is not permitted for human food in the US. Sodium nitrite is limited to 200 ppm in finished products. Hot dogs and bologna have specific composition standards. The EU regulates processed meat products and requires specific labeling of meat content percentages and species.