Driven by consumer preference for natural or clean-label products, shelf-life-extending ingredients that are growing continue to be natural or clean-label ingredients.

Salt contributes much to meat products — flavor, water-holding capacity and food safety. The top challenge for meat and poultry processors is that sodium comes primarily from the sodium chloride in brines, marinades and seasonings along with the leavening agents in batters and breadings and the sodium bicarbonate in bread crumbs. 

Consumers want sweet and spicy marinades with interesting flavor profiles, but clean ingredients.

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.

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.