ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the Latin American traditional meat products, from a historical perspective. It explores whether the common knowledge of Ibero-American meat processing may represent opportunities for innovative actions in peripheral areas. Creole meat products could be defined as traditional Latin American products which originated from the adaptation of former Iberian meat products that were brought to America by the colonizers. Creole products would have developed from those, as a result of the adaptation to local environment and resources, extended contact between communities, mixing bloods and blending cultures. The Americans had preserved meat prior to the European's settlement, by drying and eventually smoking hanging strips or pieces of meat, and had probably developed products such as 'charqui' or pemmican. Both in Europe and Latin America, although meat products are produced more and more on an industrial scale, typical handmade meat products have managed to maintain a market niche.
