HONEY has been used to cure meat for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Now, scientists are discovering this natural preservative also confers excellent protection against oxidation and boosts shelf life in popular processed meats. "Some products, like packaged 'deli cuts' of breast meat, are restructured and will oxidise (become rancid) over time," says Paul Dawson of Clemson University. "A natural anti-oxidant like honey can make their shelf life longer." Turkey, chicken and other poultry products are particularly susceptible to this degeneration as they contain higher levels of unsaturated lipids and lower levels of anti-oxidant, or free-radical absorbing, molecules. The sugars in honey, however, react with meat proteins during the heat of processing to produce anti-oxidants, according to Dawson. Preliminary experiments indicate that processing with honey also stabilises turkey's palatability and colour, as well as inhibits microbial growth. And as for taste, honey-processed products were found equally acceptable in consumer surveys.