DESCRIZIONE
A process for producing a meat slurry is described. The process includes: (i) obtaining an animal source of protein; (ii) reducing piece size of the animal source of protein to produce a smaller-piece-sized animal source of protein; (iii) introducing one or more types of lactic acid producing bacteria and at least one carbohydrate energy source to the smaller-piece-sized animal source of protein to produce a meat mixture; (iv) adding water to the meat mixture to produce an activated meat mixture; (v) incubating the activated meat mixture to produce a meat slurry; and wherein the activated meat mixture has a pH value that is greater than about 5.0, and wherein prior to incubating, the lactic acid producing bacteria is present on the meat mixture in an amount that is at least about 1 x 107 colony forming units (""CFU"") of lactic acid producing bacteria per gram of said meat mixture, and wherein after incubating, the lactic acid producing bacteria produces lactic acid in an amount that is sufficient to maintain a pH of the meat slurry at a value that is no greater than about 4.7.