Pork is the culinary name for the meat of a domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved. Curing extends the shelf life of pork products. Ham, smoked pork, gammon, bacon, and sausage are examples of preserved pork. Charcuterie is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, many from pork.

Meat and Poultry

Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Poultry is domesticated birds kept by humans for the eggs they produce, their meat, their feathers, or sometimes as pets.

Humans are omnivorous and have hunted and killed animals for meat since prehistoric times. The advent of civilization allowed the domestication of animals such as chickens, sheep, pigs, and cattle, and eventually their use in meat production on an industrial scale.