During the past 20 years the consumption of meat around the world have increased
considerably and the increasing world population with the projections of a continuous
growth until at least 2050 reaching the 9.7 billion in 2050 (United Nations
2017) needs more nutritious protein supply and consequently an increasing demand
of meat and meat products. The biggest challenge in the near future for the meat
industry is facing how to produce meat in an adequate sustainable way and answer
the modern consumer requirements. The events at the beginning of the century,
related to animal health (foot-and-mouth disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy,
avian influenza) and, more recently the indications from the World Health
Organization on the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed
meat (WHO 2015), were a milestone in a new paradigm for meat and meat products.
Relations between the various actors of meat industry have changed, food security
concerns have increased, meat markets have become more complex, changing the
relationships between demand and supply, influencing dramatically the consumption
and prices. Nowadays, in meat consumption trends are increasingly influenced
by consumer perceptions of the quality and safety of meat and meat products.
