The meat market in 2035: Growth continues, but the balance is shifting
The global meat market continues to grow, but the next decade will not follow the logic of the last one. The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2026–2035 expects global meat consumption to reach around 412 million tonnes by 2035, roughly twelve per cent above the base period. The movement per person is much smaller: the global average is projected to rise by only 0.7 kilograms to almost 30 kilograms in retail weight equivalent. Growth is therefore driven less by a general increase in individual consumption than by population and income growth in emerging economies.
On 29 June 2026, the Council of the European Union approved a reform that reaches far beyond a dispute about words on the chilled shelf. Its main purpose is to strengthen the bargaining position of agricultural producers in the food chain. Written contracts are to become standard, review clauses should reflect changes in prices and markets, and producer organisations should be easier to recognise. Terms such as “fair” and “short supply chain” will also be subject to clearer conditions.
More is decided before freezing than many process plans reveal
Freezing does not reverse microbiological processes. This seemingly simple point lies behind an assessment published by the European Food Safety Authority on 27 January 2026. EFSA examined how bacteria develop on meat from cattle, sheep and pigs during chilling, storage, freezing, defrosting and subsequent holding. The work considered pathogens such as Salmonella and Listeria as well as microorganisms that impair aroma, appearance and shelf life.
Can an instrument recognise sensory beef quality in real time?
Beef quality assessment still combines origin data, visual traits, experience and sensory evaluation. A study published in Meat Science in July 2026 examines whether rapid evaporative ionisation mass spectrometry, or REIMS, can add a fast chemical signature to this process. The technology analyses metabolites directly from intact tissue and creates patterns associated with muscle type and sensory quality classes.
Cologne becomes Europe’s plancha meeting point in September
The FIRE&FOOD BBQ WEEK will bring trade, hospitality, manufacturers, competition teams and barbecue consumers together at Motorworld Cologne from 5 to 7 September 2026. According to the organiser, the former trade day is becoming a three-day professional exhibition that remains open to consumers. The format therefore combines product presentation, education, competition and public experience in one place.
