Packaged meat and meat products are a commercial trend that is constantly winning over the Greek consumer public. This is due to the convenience offered by using a sliced or prepared product, and also the “transparency” (all the information about this product) found on the labeling of the package.

The consumer opting for standardized meat or prepared meat products (burgers, sausages, kebabs, skewers, minced meat, etc.) gets a product, which he can use in his cooking with no previous processing, or with the least possible processing on his part. At the same time, they can check out directly on the package a series of information about the product they are about to consume, such as:

• name and details of the production and marketing company
• production date of the product (slaughter, packaging, etc.)
• type of packaging (vacuum, modified atmosphere, etc.)
• expiration date
• origin of the meat
• type of cut
• composition of the product and percentage of each component
• net weight
• the lot and group number of animals (where required)
• information on whether the product has been handled in a production line where other – possibly allergenic – products are packaged
• advice on the preservation and safe handling of the product
• cooking instructions
• quality control and assurance certificates, etc

Knowing the above we can be sure of the quality characteristics of the product, its weight and price per kilo. Most of this information is not known to us when we buy our meat in bulk.

WATCH OUR PREPARED MEAT AND PACKAGED MEAT IN THE VIDEO BELOW – AVAILABLE AT THE GALAXY AND MASOUTIS SUPERMARKET BUTCHERS

 

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN BUYING PACKAGES OF MEAT PREPARATIONS

Meat is essential for our diet and health, and thus we have to make sure to choose quality meat products. The main points to check when buying meat, and especially standardized meat, are the following:

Color: Beef should have a bright red color and no brown spots at all. The presence of the latter may be a sign of improper storage or even spoiled meat.

Pork, although labeled as “the other white meat”, should also have a pink/red hue, not a hue that suggests white meat.

Chicken should have a light pink color and its fatty parts should be white. If the flesh is grayish or green, or if the fat is yellow, this may be a sign of spoilage.

Fat: Very fatty meat should be avoided, but pork and beef should have adequate amounts of fat around the meat. While beef meat should also incorporate fat. Fat makes the meat taste better but also protects it from spoilage.

Liquid: A small amount of liquid inside the package is normal – that is why the trays usually have an absorbent layer under the meat. But when the amount of liquid exceeds a certain limit, this may be a sign that the meat has not been stored or preserved properly.

Packaging: There is a lot of useful information in the packaging, which we should consider before purchasing a product. At the same time, however, in addition to the content, we must also examine the packaging itself. It should be clean and undamaged, as this may affect the quality of its content.