Importance

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Abstract

Bacon products having very low fat contents are provided from high fat sources which can include pork trimmings. The bacon products are made from a composite of two low-fat meat components. In an illustrated arrangement, one of the low-fat meat components is processed from high-fat content meat trimmings which are comminuted, heated and centrifuged, preferably in conjunction with being phosphated, under specific processing conditions. The second low-fat component in the illustrated arrangement is desinewed to remove substantial amounts of fat associated with the sinew that is mechanically removed from whole muscle tissue. The bacon product has a total fat content of not greater than about 5 percent by weight. It can be of the no-fat or fat-free variety within which fat contents which meet the regulatory definition will vary depending upon the particular type of product being made. Fat contents can be not greater than about 3.5 percent by weight, or not greater than about 2 percent by weight, or less than 1 percent by weight, based upon the total weight of the composite bacon product. If desired, the first and second low-fat meat components can be assembled in an alternating manner to provide a bacon product having a light-colored phase and a dark-colored phase.

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First Claim