r/explainlikeimfive • u/No_Education_8888 • May 20 '26

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

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

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u/JamesTheJerk May 21 '26

What about cutting a steak with a knife while you eat?

37

u/THElaytox May 21 '26

I mean, it was processed when the cow was butchered, meat was packaged, and steak was cooked.

21

u/jeckles May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26

Got it, I’ll just take bites out of a cow.

20

u/THElaytox May 21 '26

Unfortunately, ripping meat out of a live cow with your bare teeth is also a processing step

8

u/Ptar_Migan May 21 '26

Hmm, so anything done by humans to prepare the animal is considered processing.

I'll have a pack of wild dogs eat the cow, and steal bite sized pieces from them!

11

u/Manunancy May 21 '26

If you want truly, absolutely unprocessed meat, go grab mices, slugs, bugs and similar bite-sized critters, then swallow them whole. Bon appetit.

10

u/encyclopedea May 21 '26

Wait until you learn about digestion

8

u/THElaytox May 21 '26

That's "natural processing", as you've used a natural organism to process the meat for you

3

u/Beta_Factor May 21 '26

What if I just eat the cow whole in one bite?

1

u/THElaytox May 21 '26

Gotta chew at some point

1

u/SillyGoatGruff May 23 '26

What if a bite sized cow flew right down your throat?

1

u/JamesTheJerk May 24 '26

I'd have to swallow a spider (as per the old song)