Mettler-Toledo: Overcoming Inspection Challenges in Manufacturing Real Meat Products

The meat industry is undergoing profound change. Consumers are not simply choosing between meat and no meat but balancing their intake.

- Miriam Krechlok

Red meat consumption is declining, while poultry and seafood are on the rise. Levercliff's study on The Future of Meat cited that about 30% of consumers are eating more poultry, many are adding seafood, and others are turning to vegetarian and plant-based proteins. This balancing act means red meat demand may soften further, while poultry and seafood volumes increase. Globally, forecasts suggest poultry will deliver more than 60% of growth in meat consumption over the next decade. For processors, this shift brings new complexity, such as different products, formats and expectations, all running through facilities that are already under pressure to deliver efficiency and profitability.

As meat processors adapt to these changes, many are turning to product inspection technologies to help them stay compliant and competitive. Rather than serving only as a checkpoint to catch physical contaminants, modern inspection systems now play a central role in supporting compliance with retailer and regulatory standards. At the same time, they help manufacturers protect brand integrity, reduce waste, and drive the production efficiency needed to maintain profitability in a changing market.

Why Meat Processing Raises The Stakes For Inspection

Meat production is one of the most established and tightly regulated sectors in food manufacturing. Oversight is intense worldwide, with authorities such as the USDA in the United States, the EFSA in Europe and the SAMR in China setting strict frameworks that make inspection the foundation of market access.