As
whole tissue, meat is a natural product that possesses inherent
variability due to many factors. As a sample for testing this can
present a common problem to assess the texture repeatably. Processed meats are of three general types: deli-styles (for example turkey, bologna), that are sliced; formed meats (meat balls, meat patties, chicken patties, chicken nuggets); and sausage-style meats, which are usually tubular shaped. Processed meats are often investigated to assess, for instance, ideal combinations of ingredients, evaluate contribution of processing methods/times and highlight quality inconsistencies.