By Donwynne and Amy Bergh
Yes, technically: curing and drying make it a processed meat. What differs between brands is what else goes in, so the useful habit is to read the ingredients list. Below is how the NHS defines it, what that means for a snack, and exactly what we put in ours.
What does the NHS mean by processed meat?
The NHS defines processed meat as meat preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding preservatives. Its examples include sausages, bacon, ham, salami, corned beef and pâtés.
Biltong is cured in vinegar, salt and spices, then air-dried. That sits inside the NHS definition, even though it isn't a sausage or a slice of ham. We would rather say that clearly than dance around it.
Is all processed meat the same?
No. "Processed" is a wide word. It covers everything from a simple salt-and-vinegar cure to products with a long list of extras. Two packs can both be processed meat and still be very different once you read the label.
That's why we publish our ingredients and the numbers from our packs, rather than asking you to take the word "natural" on trust. The fuller nutrition picture is in Is biltong healthy? and What's in our biltong.
What's in Inyama biltong?
Our Original is made from 100% pasture-fed British beef and these ingredients:
British Beef, Apple Cider Vinegar, Spice Blend (Coriander, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Preservative: Potassium Sorbate, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Smoked Umami Powder (Maltodextrin, Smoked Yeast Extract, Smoked Mushroom Powder)).
Our Original Beef Sticks use the same ingredients. We don't add sugars. Potassium sorbate is a preservative, and it's listed because it is in the blend. Cape Curry contains mustard and celery. Full ingredients are on each product page and on every pack.
Does that mean I shouldn't eat it?
Not by itself, no. The NHS says eating a lot of red and processed meat probably increases your risk of bowel cancer. Its advice is that anyone eating more than 90g of red and processed meat a day should cut down to 70g.
That doesn't make biltong off-limits. It means biltong counts towards that total. A 35g pack of our biltong is made from about 80g of raw beef, so it's a proper portion of red meat in a small bag. A pack as a snack is a sensible amount for most people, especially if you keep an eye on the rest of the day's meat and on salt.
Our biltong has 2.7g of salt per 100g, and a 35g pack has about 0.9g. The NHS says adults should have no more than 6g of salt a day.
If you've been given specific dietary advice, check with your GP or a dietitian.
Can you eat processed meat when pregnant?
The NHS doesn't mention biltong by name. It does say cold cured meats such as salami, pepperoni, chorizo and prosciutto should be cooked until steaming hot before eating in pregnancy. Biltong is a cold cured meat, so the safest thing is to speak to your midwife or GP before eating it. There's a longer note in Can you eat biltong when pregnant?.
Where does the beef come from?
All our beef comes from Farm Wilder farms across South West England, where the cattle are 100% pasture-fed. Farm Wilder audits the farms every two years against standards developed with FWAG South West. Read more on Our Beef.
Want to try it?
Start with Original Biltong (6-pack £24.99, 12-pack £44.99), or try everything with The Whole Herd mixed 6-pack for £24.99. Delivery is free from £65.
Sources
- NHS, Meat in your diet
- NHS, Salt in your diet
- NHS, Foods to avoid in pregnancy
- Inyama product data: ingredients and nutrition as printed on our packs