DFD meat has a higher water-holding capacity than normal. It loses less weight during processing and cooking and therefore less salt is needed during curing. Because of that, some processed meat manufacturers prefer using high pH meat. In addition, because of its dark colour it is unsuitable for the fresh meat trade so it is cheaper. In line with this, in emulsion-type products, where the meat is finely minced, the darkness is not noticeable. However, as the size of the pieces of meat increases it becomes more difficult to overcome this effect, and shelf-life may be dramatically shortened.
PSE has a poor water-holding capacity, and therefore a higher weight loss in cooking and greater fluid losses in retail packs. The low water-holding capacity is particularly important in processed meat manufacture. Adding more salt, however, can help to form a gel and bind the meat after cooking. Although PSE meat does not offer technical advantages in the manufacture of meat products, its suitability for processed meats depends on the extent to which gel formation is required for the particular type of product.