{{Short description|Type of processed meat made from cured turkey}}
thumb|Sliced turkey ham '''Turkey ham''' is a processed meat product made from cooked or cured turkey meat, water and other ingredients such as binders. Turkey ham products contain no pork products. Several companies in the United States produce turkey ham and market it under various brand names. It was invented {{circa|1975}} by Jennie-O, who first introduced it to consumers that year. Around January 1980, the American Meat Institute tried to ban use of the term "turkey ham" for products that are composed solely of turkey and contain no pork. Turkey ham may also be used as a substitute for bacon where religious restrictions forbid the consumption of pork.
==Overview== Turkey ham is a processed meat product made primarily from cooked or cured turkey meat and water, formed into the shape of a ham and often sold pre-sliced.<ref name="Sun 2016"/><ref name="Acton 2012"/> It is a ready-to-eat product that can be consumed cold or heated.<ref name="PSATSP 2010"/>
===Production=== Turkey ham is produced from turkey meat such as cured turkey thigh meat and other meat from the animals, which can be machine-deboned.<ref name="Pearson Gillett 2012"/> Contrary to the product's name, turkey ham products do not contain ham and pork products.<ref name="Kiplingers 1980"/> Some turkey ham products are manufactured with added water, which adds moisture and weight, and some include binders, which serves to bind the moisture and fat in the meat to improve texture.<ref name="Hui 2006"/><ref name="Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations"/> Turkey ham is sometimes flavored to resemble the flavor of ham.<ref name="Kiplingers 1980"/> Turkey ham typically has a 5 percent fat content, and some turkey hams are produced as fat-free.<ref name="PSATSP 2010"/><ref name="Natow Heslin 2008"/> Turkey hams are typically produced in two sizes, whole and half-sized.<ref name="PSATSP 2010"/>
Some U.S. producers and brands of turkey ham include Butterball, Cargill, Jennie-O, Louis Rich, Norbest and Oscar Mayer.<ref name="Allen Albala 2007"/><ref name="Apps 2015"/><ref name="DeBakey 1992"/><ref name="Farmer cooperatives 1977"/>
==History== [[File:Original Turkey Ham.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Jennie-O brand turkey ham. Jennie-O first introduced turkey ham to U.S. consumers in 1975.]] Turkey ham was developed by Jennie-O and was first introduced to American consumers by the company in 1975.{{efn|"The development of turkey ham in 1975 was a major breakthrough, not only for Jennie-O ..."<ref name="Drache 2001"/>}} Turkey ham was a successful venture for Jennie-O, as the processed meat brought in revenues that were ten times higher compared to those the company realized from unprocessed turkey thighs.<ref name="Drache 2001"/>
== Labeling == Around January 1980, the American Meat Institute (AMI) attempted to ban the use of the term "turkey ham" for products that contain no ham and are entirely composed of turkey, which the AMI described as "flagrant consumer deception".<ref name="Kiplingers 1980"/> Use of the term "turkey ham" for such products was also opposed by some ham producers in the United States.<ref name="Kiplingers 1980"/> Circa this time, the U.S. government began requiring turkey ham producers to include the words "cured turkey thigh meat" on turkey ham packaging.<ref name="Kiplingers 1980"/> In 2010, it was written in the ''Handbook of Poultry Science and Technology, Secondary Processing'' that the term "cured turkey thigh meat" always followed the words "turkey ham" on American turkey ham packaging.<ref name="PSATSP 2010"/>
== Nutrition and Health == Turkey ham is generally considered a lean processed meat, with a typical serving (100 grams) containing approximately 118 kilocalories, 16 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat (including 1.2 grams of saturated fat), 3.1 grams of carbohydrates, 909 milligrams of sodium, and 64 milligrams of cholesterol.<ref name="foodstruct">{{cite web |date=31 October 2024 |title=Turkey ham nutrition |url=https://foodstruct.com/food/turkey-ham |access-date=20 October 2025 |website=FoodStruct}}</ref> It supplies moderate amounts of iron, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamin B12.
Compared to traditional pork ham, turkey ham is typically lower in calories, total fat, and cholesterol, making it a popular choice for those seeking lower-fat or pork-free alternatives.<ref name="yummyyum">{{cite web |date=13 July 2025 |title=Ham vs. Turkey Ham: What's the Healthier Choice? |url=https://yummyyumfood.com/ham-vs-turkey-ham-whats-the-healthier-choice/ |access-date=20 October 2025 |website=YummyYumFood}}</ref> Sodium content is often high, sometimes delivering over 40% of the recommended daily intake per 100 gram serving.<ref name="foodstruct" />
As a processed meat, turkey ham may contain preservatives such as nitrites or nitrates. Health authorities recommend moderation in consumption of processed meats, as excessive intake is associated with increased risks for certain chronic diseases.<ref name="eatingwell">{{cite web |date=7 February 2019 |title=Are Cold Cuts Healthy? Here's What a Dietitian Has to Say |url=https://www.eatingwell.com/article/290503/are-cold-cuts-healthy/ |access-date=20 October 2025 |website=EatingWell}}</ref>
Nutritional values and ingredients may vary by brand or preparation. Some options are marketed as “extra lean” or “low sodium” to meet specific dietary preferences.<ref name="butterball">{{cite web |date=26 August 2025 |title=Turkey Ham |url=https://www.butterball.com/products/turkey-ham |access-date=20 October 2025 |website=Butterball}}</ref>
==See also== {{Wiktionary-inline}} *Turkey bacon
==Notes== {{Notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em|refs= <ref name="Hui 2006">{{cite book | last=Hui | first=Y.H. | title=Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering | publisher=Taylor & Francis | series=CRCNET books | issue=v. 2 | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-8493-9848-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=brdM8-ahRg4C&pg=SA72-PA92 | access-date=May 28, 2017 | page=72-92}}</ref> <ref name="Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations">{{cite web | title=Non-meat Ingredients | website=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai407e/AI407E06.htm | access-date=May 28, 2017}}</ref> <ref name="Pearson Gillett 2012">{{cite book | last1=Pearson | first1=A.M. | last2=Gillett | first2=T.A. | title=Processed Meats | publisher=Springer US | year=2012 | isbn=978-1-4615-7685-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kF_mBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA173 | access-date=May 29, 2017 | page=173}}</ref> <ref name="Kiplingers 1980">{{cite book | title=Kiplinger's Personal Finance | publisher=Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA4 | access-date=May 29, 2017 | date=January 1980 | page=4}}</ref> <ref name="Allen Albala 2007">{{cite book | last1=Allen | first1=G.J. | last2=Albala | first2=K. | title=The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of the Food and Drink Industries | publisher=Greenwood Press | year=2007 | isbn=978-0-313-33725-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gNzmOUyiFRAC&pg=PA307 | access-date=May 29, 2017 | page=307}}</ref> <ref name="Drache 2001">{{cite book | last=Drache | first=H.M. | title=Creating Abundance: Visionary Entrepreneurs of Agriculture | publisher=Interstate Publishers | year=2001 | isbn=978-0-8134-3208-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W57vAAAAMAAJ | access-date=May 29, 2017|pages=323–324}}</ref> <ref name="Apps 2015">{{cite book | last=Apps | first=J. | title=Wisconsin Agriculture: A History | publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society Press | year=2015 | isbn=978-0-87020-725-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M1hjCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT340 | language=es | access-date=May 29, 2017 | page=340}}</ref> <ref name="Sun 2016">{{cite book | last=Sun | first=D.W. | title=Computer Vision Technology for Food Quality Evaluation | publisher=Elsevier Science | year=2016 | isbn=978-0-12-802599-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cM8cCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA129 | access-date=May 29, 2017 | page=129}}</ref> <ref name="Acton 2012">{{cite book | last=Acton | first=Q.A. | title=Issues in General Food Research: 2011 Edition | publisher=ScholarlyEditions | year=2012 | isbn=978-1-4649-6412-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iXQR6UXDJBMC&pg=PT1093 | access-date=May 29, 2017 | page=pt1093}}</ref> <ref name="PSATSP 2010">{{cite book | title=Handbook of Poultry Science and Technology, Secondary Processing | publisher=Wiley | year=2010 | isbn=978-0-470-50446-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PJaeczvugJEC&pg=PA236 | access-date=May 29, 2017 | page=236}}</ref> <ref name="Natow Heslin 2008">{{cite book | last1=Natow | first1=A.B. | last2=Heslin | first2=J.A. | title=The Fat Counter: 7th Edition | publisher=Pocket Books | year=2008 | isbn=978-1-4165-0986-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ttWwLy6xMG4C&pg=PA548 | access-date=May 29, 2017 | page=548}}</ref> <ref name="DeBakey 1992">{{cite book | last=DeBakey | first=M.E. | title=The Living Heart Brand Name Shopper's Guide | publisher=MasterMedia Limited | year=1992 | isbn=978-0-942361-43-8 | url=https://archive.org/details/livingheartbrand00deba | url-access=registration | access-date=May 29, 2017|page=[https://archive.org/details/livingheartbrand00deba/page/296 296]}}</ref> <ref name="Farmer cooperatives 1977">{{cite book | title=Farmer cooperatives | publisher=The Service | issue=v. 44, no. 4 | year=1977 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1SMM5sRm0XYC | access-date=May 29, 2017|page=10}}</ref> }}
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Category:Turkey dishes Category:Ham Category:Meleagris