Pork, as is generally known, contains more fat than other meats, so less water (10-20% less) and relatively less protein. Usually in pork, especially bacon, there is somewhat less waste than in other meats. Ham is lean pork; bacon is fat pork.

Bacon is about 1/2 fat. It contains twice as much fat as ham, three times as much as other meats, and only 1/3 less than butter. It is 1/10 - 3/10 protein and 2/5 - 4/5 fat. Bacon is most digestible; only butter and cream rival it in digestibility among fats.

Lard is fat from pork. Leaf-lard is from the fat accumulated inside the lower back part of the animal-body. It is the best lard. Lard is combined with other fats in artificial lards.

Prepared meats, as sausages and minced meats, are compounds of mixed, chopped meats of different kinds. They may contain as much protein and more fat than the meats naturally do. But their composition in this and all other respects depends upon the mixture. When any vegetable substances are added, this is expected to be noted on the label.

Meats, fresh, preserved, or prepared, differ in use to the body according to their composition and condition. Difference in flavor is somewhat due to the food of the animal. This, as well as the general characteristics of meats, may therefore be somewhat controlled by the feeding during the early growth of the animal. Milk-fed chickens are more tender than others.

When animals are killed their flesh is tender, soft, juicy. It immediately stiffens, toughens, hardens. This is called rigor mortis; it passes. The flesh is then again soft and tender and flavor has developed. It is in this third condition that meat is usually eaten. But as this change is due to the onset of decomposition (in which lactic acid forms and softens the connective tissue, as would mild vinegar), meat is eaten more promptly after slaughtering wherever heat requires that it be not kept long.