In addition to efforts to improve the healthfulness of processed meals, manufacturers also sought to boost the nutritional reputation of packaged meats.
In the area of convenience meals and processed meats, health and nutrition proved a solid selling point in 2012, as developers refined formulations and consumers turned to in-home dining in the midst of a challenging economy. At the same time, research continued efforts to make the average diet healthier without sacrificing any flavor.
Oregon State University (OSU) researchers began studies to drastically reduce the fat content of fried seafood and, if their efforts prove successful, it may prove a boon to the nutritional makeup of fried foods in general. Their research centers around the use of a fish protein found in surimi, refined fish proteins that can be made from a variety of species. Surimi is popular in fried Asian dishes with a very low fat content (roughly 2%), which prompted the research into its fat-blocking potential.