Is Steak a Whole Meat? Understanding the Difference Between Fresh and Processed
                                
                                
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                                    5 min read                                
                            
                                According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, processed meats are a Group 1 carcinogen, whereas fresh red meat is classified differently. This distinction is key to answering the question: is steak a whole meat? Fundamentally, a fresh steak is a minimally processed, whole-muscle cut, while processed meat undergoes significant alteration.