CHICAGO – Interest in "natural" products continues to build in the U.S. meat and poultry industry. According to the Mintel Global New Product Database, new meat and poultry products with natural claims have greatly increased just in the past six years alone.

Here’s a year-by-year rundown on the number of new meat and poultry products featuring natural claims introduced in the U.S. since 2003:

· 2003 -- 31 meat products; 43 poultry products

· 2004 – 59 meat products; 17 poultry products

· 2005 – 53 meat products; 23 poultry products

· 2006 – 51 meat products; 73 poultry products

· 2007 – 76 meat products; 80 poultry products

· 2008 – 125 meat products; 99 poultry products

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