What is whole meat & poultry?
Whole meat ingredients refer to minimally processed cuts of animal muscle tissue and organs used in food products. These include chicken breast, beef, pork, turkey, lamb, and ground meat preparations where the meat retains its basic muscular structure. Whole meat ingredients are distinguished from processed meat derivatives by their proximity to the original animal tissue, with processing limited to cutting, grinding, seasoning, and basic preservation methods like freezing or refrigeration.
78,580 products in our database contain whole meat & poultry. 32,669 of them (42%) are Level 4, the most processed of our four levels.
Which foods contain whole meat & poultry?
Whole meat ingredients are found in fresh and frozen meat products, frozen entrees, canned meats, soups, stews, pot pies, meat sauces, baby food, and prepared meals across all retail and foodservice categories.
The Original Caesar Dressing
Glutino, Gluten Free Crackers, Cheddar
Family Recipe Italian Dressing
House Italian Made with Peramesan Cheese
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Deli Fresh Chipotle Seasoned Chicken Breast
Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Cups, Peanut Butter Cup
Ripe Strawberry Premium Ice Cream Wrapped in Sweet, Pillowy Dough Mochi Ice Cream, Ripe Strawberry
Kellogg's Eggo Pancakes Blueberry 3.03oz
Progresso Traditional Homestyle Chicken Soup
Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Reese's Peanut Butter Cookies 24 Count
Campbell's Chunky Soup Sirloin Burger
Sweet Mango Premium Ice Cream, Sweet Mango
Ripe Strawberry Premium Mochi Ice Cream Wrapped in a Sweet, Soft Dough, Ripe Strawberry
Shrimp & Roasted Corn Chowder, Shrimp & Roasted
Sauce for Broccoli Beef, Broccoli Beef
Original Recipe Tapioca Pudding
Premium Chicken Breast with Rib Meat Chunk in Water
Hormel, Premium Chicken Breast in Water
Great Value, Chunk Chicken Breast with Rib Meat in Water
Sirloin Philly Steak
Chicken Breast Meat with Rib Meat in Water
Chicken Breast with Rib Meat in Water
Premium Chicken Breast Chunk in Water with Rib Meat
Famous Sandwich & Salad Sauce, Tangy, Mustard-Mayonnaise, Tangy, Mustard-Mayonnaise
Delifresh Smoked Turkey Breast, Smoked
Premium Chunk White Chicken Breast in Water
Premium Skinless & Boneless Lemon Pepper Pink Salmon, Lemon Pepper
Honey Smoked Turkey Breast, Honey Smoked
Oscar Mayer
Smoked Turkey Breast, Smoked
Oscar Mayer
Cracked Black Pepper Turkey Breast, Cracked Black Pepper
Oscar Mayer
Niman Ranch, Uncured Bacon, Applewood Smoked, Center Cut
Applegate Organics, Organics Uncured Turkey Bacon, Hickory Smoked
Savory Turkey Breakfast Sausage Patties
Chicken of the Sea, Smoked Salmon
Chicken of the Sea, Albacore White Tuna in Water
Vanilla Ice Cream with Real Vanilla Bean
Madrigal, Spiced Sardines in Vegetable Oil
Premium Albacore Tuna in Water
Dolores Tuna, Chunk Light Yellowfin Tuna in Water
Dolores Tuna, Chunk Light Yellofin Tuna
A Taste of Thai, Fish Sauce
Pink Salmon Skinless & Boneless
Echo Falls, Smoked Salmon, Cracked Pepper
Echofalls, Traditional Pure Smoked Salmon
Whole Foods Market, Linguine Pasta
Egg Beaters Egg Whites, 16 Oz
Organic Prairie, Organic Ground Chicken
Wild Caught Alaska Sockeye Salmon
Wild Caught Alaska Cod
Arctic Star, Wild Alaska Pink Salmon
Wilcox, Organic Hard-Boiled Eggs
Wild Alaska Keta Salmon Fillets
Unsalted Pink Wild Salmon
Deming's, Red Sockeye Wild Alaskan Salmon
Deming's, Wild Caught Alaskan Pink Salmon
Natural Bison Ribeye Steak
Simple Truth Organic, Organic Ground Beef
Sliced Steaks
Aqua Star, Pacific Salmon Fillets
Orca Bay, Wild Caught Cod Fillets
Also known as
Whole Meat & Poultry 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
Whole meat ingredients serve as primary protein sources in food products, providing complete proteins with all essential amino acids, along with characteristic flavors and textures. In prepared foods, whole meats contribute to the savory (umami) flavor profile through naturally occurring glutamate and nucleotides. The protein content, fat marbling, and connective tissue in whole meats determine cooking behavior, texture, and mouthfeel in finished products. Ground meats provide versatile forms that can be shaped into patties, meatballs, and fillings.
Sources
Whole meat ingredients are produced through standard butchering and processing of livestock and poultry raised on farms and ranches. Animals are processed at USDA-inspected slaughter and processing facilities. Primal cuts are broken down into retail cuts through mechanical cutting. Ground meat is produced by passing trim and cuts through mechanical grinders. Some whole meat products may be treated with solutions of water, salt, and phosphates to enhance moisture retention — these must be declared on the label. Frozen whole meat products undergo blast freezing for preservation.
Health considerations
Whole meats contain varying levels of protein, fat (including saturated fat), cholesterol, iron, zinc, and B vitamins depending on the species, cut, and fat content. Saturated fat and cholesterol content must be declared on the Nutrition Facts label. Meat products containing added solutions (water, salt, phosphates) must declare these additions and the resulting percentage increase in weight. USDA regulates food safety requirements for meat processing.
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
Regulatory
Meat products are regulated by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) rather than the FDA. USDA inspection is mandatory for meat sold in interstate commerce. Standards of identity define products like ground beef (no more than 30% fat), and labeling requirements specify how added solutions must be declared. Natural and organic meat claims are regulated by the USDA. The EU has parallel meat regulations including mandatory country of origin labeling.