Ham. Cheap ham slices are generally made from meat that has been mechanically recovered. “All of the little bits that are left over on the bone will be blasted off with high-pressure water,” Ruxton says. They are then moulded back together again, cured, cooked and sliced, then packaged for human consumption.

Is ham considered a processed food?

All meat that has been smoked, salted, cured, dried or canned is considered processed. This includes sausages, hot dogs, salami, ham and cured bacon.

What type of ham is not processed?

So, what is uncured ham? Simply put,uncured ham is a ham that undergoes a much more natural curing process. The main difference between uncured and cured ham is the use of synthetically sourced nitrates, which can turn into carcinogenic chemicals.