Re: What is the purpose of restructuring meat?

'Restructured meats' is a term coined primarily to identify processed meat 
products intended to simulate whole muscle products.

The best example of this is the 'roast beef' sandwich you would buy at 
Arby's or Hardees. This meat is made from a chopped beef emulsified and 
formed into a log shape to simulate a whole muscle cut of beef. It's 
roasted, and it's beef, but it's not the whole round or sirloin you would 
cook at home.

Other chunked and formed, or flaked and formed, meats about. The 'chicken 
nuggets' sold at fast food chains are made from extruded ground meats, not 
from pieces of whole muscle.

In these types of products, the less expensive ground trimmings replace 
the 'structure' or 'form' of more expensive whole muscle products.