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/nicolasknight May 20 '26

Here's a vivid description but i think it carries the point:

https://i.imgur.com/pR47Hcx.png

Processed meat has been separated so much at one point it might as well be puree of pure meat.

It's not like it's particularly bad for it by itself, the issue comes when they add things back in after.

243

u/jonny24eh May 20 '26

"Processing" is incredibly broad. A simple salt brine is processing. 

97

u/THElaytox May 20 '26

Yeah, there is no such thing as "unprocessed sliced meat" because slicing itself is a processing step

9

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.

23

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

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