What is the origin of the word meat?
The word meat comes from the Old English word meaning food in general. Modern usage restricts it to skeletal muscle with its associated fat and connective tissue, sometimes including offal like liver and kidney.
Common questions about Meat
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did humans begin domesticating animals for meat production?
Humans began domesticating vertebrates such as goats, sheep, pigs, and cattle approximately 11,000 years ago during the Neolithic Revolution. This shift transformed meat from a sporadic hunt into a reliable food source through systematic production and selective breeding.
What percentage of world meat production came from intensive animal farming by 2005?
By 2005, intensive animal farming accounted for 40 percent of world meat production. This figure had risen from 30 percent in 1990 as factory farming became globalized in the later years of the 20th century.
How does eating processed meat affect cancer risk?
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified processed meat as carcinogenic to humans based on sufficient evidence that consumption causes colorectal cancer. A 2021 review found an increase of 8 to 72 percent risk of multiple cancer per 50 grams per day increment of processed meat.
What percentage of global biodiversity loss is attributable to meat-based diets?
A 2017 study by the World Wildlife Fund found that 60 percent of global biodiversity loss is attributable to meat-based diets. This loss results from the use of land for feed crops, causing large-scale loss of habitats and species.