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A dual objective of food storage is to retain nutritional value and safe consumption over time. As supply chains have globalized, food protection and preservation methods have advanced. However, increasing demands to cater for larger volumes and for more effective food storage call for new technologies. This paper examines promising meat preservation methods, including high pressure process, ultrasounds, pulsating electric and magnetic field, pulsed light and cold plasma. These methods not only make it possible to obtain meat and meat products with a longer shelf life, safer for health and without preservatives, but also are more environment-friendly in comparison with traditional methods. With the use of alternative methods, it is possible to obtain meat products that are microbiologically safer, whilst also high quality and free from chemical additives. Moreover, these new technologies are also more ecological, do not require large quantities of energy or water, and generate less waste.

This study aimed at the analysis of the impact of the age of horses and selected substances (lactic acid, malic acid, salt phosphates, and phosphates with rosemary) on the quality of horse meat during cold storage. Samples of the longest thoracic muscle obtained from 12 half-carcasses of horses from two age groups: from 4 to 7 years and from 8 to 12 years constituted the research material for the analysis. The addition of each of the substances (lactic acid, malic acid, salt phosphates, phosphates with rosemary) used to marinate this meat increased the color brightness and reduced the value of shear force and hardness compared to the control sample (P < .05) in both age groups. The use of lactic acid for marinating in the case of meat from both younger and older horse carcasses affected the lowest sensory evaluation scores (P < .05) of this meat compared to the control sample and those for which other substances were used.

This study determined the accumulation of selected heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg and As) in tissues of wild boar. The tested animals were divided into three age groups, which allowed analysis of the statistical/mathematical relationship between their age and contamination of their tissues. For determination of heavy metal content, samples were taken from the longissimus muscle of the back and from the tail lobe of the liver. It has been stated that, in wild boar, accumulation of lead and cadmium in muscle and liver increases with age. However, statistical differences were found most frequently between the youngest and oldest animal groups only. Moreover, in no single case, was the maximum permissible level exceeded in muscle for lead, cadmium or mercury, and arsenic was not detected above 0.001 mg/kg. In the >3 year group, the maximum permissible level of cadmium (0.5 mg/kg) was exceeded in two liver samples.

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