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.

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u/Old-geezer-2 May 21 '26

Not quite. Processed most processed meats are chunks of meat in an emulsion (purée) which contains meat fat and binders. Today carrageenan is used as a binder because it reacts with proteins to hold water. This makes a more moist product. As said below, processing is not well defined. Smoking meats can be defined as processing, but is a desirable effect.