ABSTRACT
Following the collection of plants and fruits, food of animal origin also became available to humankind in the form of predators’ leftover and later by …shing and hunting. They must have realized that meat cannot be left “as is” because in some hours or some days, depending on the actual ambient temperature, it spoils or becomes poisonous and consequently cannot be eaten. Since meat as animal protein is not only a good-tasting food but also an excellent source of essential nutrients and some vitamins, it has always been the target of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms that break down and transform these substances for the sake of their own growth. Keeping in mind this effect and its consequences, humans felt forced to …nd ways to keep these hard-to-get meats available to them for a longer time.
