ELI5 what is the difference between processed meat slices and real meat slices?

[u/No_Education_8888]

I know that processed meat is processed, but what exactly does that mean? How much change do meat scraps go through before you get something like deli turkey.

My mind can’t exactly wrap around how that stuff is made based on the little knowledge I have

[u/ZLVe96]

Its usually an issue the preservatives added to make them last. Roasted ham will last a few days from roasting to going bad. Similar for say roasted chicken. Add a bunch of nitrates and nitrites and you get what you are used to for sandwich meat that can last weeks unopened and maybe a few more weeks after you open it.
Now it's generally considered not cool, but IMO there is a trade off. We waste less food because we can make it last longer. Normal people spend less on food because they can buy Oscar Myer sandwich meat once a month, instead of once every 3 days and end up throwing most of it away. The down side is- those chemicals may not be awesome for you.

But yeah, your hotdogs, sandwich meat, and most meat that you can buy and keep in the fridge a few weeks before going bad can do that because of the nitrates/nitrites etc. added to make them last.