Good barbecue takes time. Making the perfect rack of ribs, brisket or turkey leg requires the right amount of smoke, heat and seasoning. To top it off, the right barbecue sauce adds the perfect finishing touch (except in the case of dry rub barbecue).
Several companies recently started using natural antioxidants and limiting the use of synthetic versions, such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) or butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT).
Processors continue to increase the use of natural antimicrobial ingredients as they move toward cleaner labels. Identifying these natural compounds or groups of compounds that function singularly or together to be effective as antimicrobial systems in their products remains a top development area for them, says Jeff Sindelar, extension meat specialist and associate professor in Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The burger is going through some changes, as consumer trends are having an effect on the patty. There are patties for every type of consumer, from fresh to frozen, from full-sized to slider, and from beef to turkey to plant.
Half the benefit of pre-marinated meat is consumers know what they are going to get: embedded taste and convenience. Processors are utilizing new technologies with injections and marinades, so everything tastes the same but with less sodium and sugar, and fewer food-safety concerns.
They say that where there’s smoke there’s fire. So, casual observers might suspect that the biggest new product news in foodservice meat, poultry and seafood—is that there’s actually no meat whatsoever.
Because large segments of shoppers seek products with different attributes, grocery and foodservice operators must determine the specific types of breaded and battered options — typically seafood and chicken — that will appeal to their unique customer bases.