Consumer demand for specific dietary and nutritional characteristics in their foods has
risen in recent years. This trend in consumer preference has resulted in a strong emphasis in the meat
industry and scientific research on activities aimed at improving the nutritional value of fermented
meat products. These types of meat products are valued by modern consumers due to their nutritional
value resulting, among others, from the method of production. One of the major focuses of the current
innovations includes the incorporation of bioactive compounds from plant-based food, in relation to
the replacement of additives that may raise concerns among consumers (mainly nitrate and nitrite)
as well as the modification of processing conditions in order to increase the content of bioactive
compounds. Many efforts have been focused on reducing or eliminating the presence of additives,
such as curing agents (nitrite or nitrate) in accordance with the idea of “clean label”. The enrichment
of fermented meat products in compounds from the plant kingdom can also be framed in the overall
strategies of functional meat products design, so that the meat products may be used as the vehicle to
deliver bioactive compounds that may exert benefits to the consumer.