Country of origin + region + protein + sweet and spicy dry marinades seems to be a winning formula. Now every night's dinner can taste straight out of a restaurant or cooking show.

The latest development for antioxidant ingredients used for meat and poultry products is a better understanding of how the animal proteins spoil and the development of antioxidant combinations for superior shelf-life extension.

The biggest change occurring with antimicrobial ingredients is the increased use of natural antimicrobials, especially in the formulation of cured products.

Adding an inclusion such as cheese or a combination of inclusions can turn a plain product into a value-added, high-end item. With a wide variety of ingredients from which to choose, processors can unleash their product development creativity and create unique best sellers.

Consumers have decided that they want clean-label products, with easy-to-pronounce, recognizable ingredients. They want nitrite-free, nitrate-free, GMO-free, allergen-free products.

Phosphate is unique in that it is the only ingredient other than salt that has been traditionally used and interacts directly to modify meat proteins and protein functionality.

Clean labels are certainly here to stay, but what replaces the chemicals being erased from marinades? “Everyone is waiting for the miracle molecule that will replace phosphate,” says Terry Houser, Ph.D., associate professor at Kansas State University, in Manhattan, Kan. “But I’m not aware of one so far. Phosphate is a unique application and hard to replace.”

Regional flavors, gut-healthy options, meats and more are on the menu for 2019, as Oklahoma State University's Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center (FAPC) selects the hottest food trends for the upcoming year.

While retailers and restaurants leverage the elements to enhance the flavor and texture of proteins, a greater consumer focus on healthy eating is forcing a shift in product ingredients if operators are to maximize activity.

There is a lot of attention being given to the topic of alternative protein — "meatlike" products — which is causing concern among some people involved in the traditional production of meat.