Meat and meat products are highly susceptible to contamination by microorganisms and foodborne pathogens, which cause serious economic losses and health hazards. The large consumption and waste of meat and meat products have led to the need for safe and effective preservation methods. Further, toxicological aspects of chemical preservation techniques related to major health problems have sparked controversies and has prompted consumers and producers to turn to natural preservatives. Consequently, natural preservatives are being increasingly used to ensure safety and quality of meat products owing to customer preferences and biological efficacy. However, the information on the current status of these preservatives are scattered and a comprehensive review is lacking. In this paper, the current knowledge on the classification, mechanisms of natural preservatives and their applications in the preservation of meat and meat products are reviewed, and the potential of natural preservatives to improve the safety of meat and meat products are discussed. The current status and the current research gaps in the extraction, application, and controlled‐release of natural antibacterial agents for meat preservation are discussed in detail. This review may be useful to the development of efficient food preservation techniques in meat industry.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.