Did you know turkey bacon does in fact come from turkeys? There are however many differences between turkey and pork bacon. One of these differences is the nutrition content between pork and turkey bacon. 100g of turkey bacon contains 2285mg of sodium, 382 calories and 27.9g of fat where as pork bacon contains 1546mg of sodium, 541 calories and 42g of fat. Both types of bacon are however similar in the cholesterol content of about 100mg and their protein content of 30g. Another difference is that the meat used to create the bacon is taken from different parts of the animal. In the pig the bacon meat is taken from the sides, back, and belly of the animal, where as turkey bacon comes from the thighs, breast, and skin of the bird. The processing is another difference between turkey and pork bacon. Turkey meat is ground up and mixed together and then smoked and marinated. This process preserves the meat protecting it from oxidation. The meat is then cured with sodium, nitrates and phosphates (brine solution) to further reduce the presence of bacteria. This curing process enhances the pinkish colour of the meat where the pigments are transformed during heating. The brine solution used in curing is responsible for the high sodium content levels in turkey bacon. The preservatives added lead to the "bacon" colouring of turkey meat which is pressed, shaped and packaged to resemble pork bacon. Meanwhile, bacon from pork is processed by skinning, trimming, and pressing of the carcass. The meat is then cured in a brine solution that contains salt for dehydration, nitrates for bacterial growth prevention, and sugar and spices for flavouring. Like turkey bacon, the meat is then smoked with chemicals that kill yeast, mould, and bacteria. Turkeys are a part of supply management five programs, which helps reduce some of the risks of farming by enabling the farmer to not have to rely on consumer loyalty and competition with foreign suppliers. The pig industry is not a participant of supply management and as a result anyone can produce pigs, creating fluctuations of booms and busts in the market. The pig market may become saturated with product from people entering the market when producer price is high. This surplus essentially lowers the producer price causing people to leave the market until once again there is a high demand for pork. In the turkey market supply management helps reduce fluctuations in the market ensuring a steady income for the producer. Finally, both turkeys and pigs have bio-security issues that constantly threaten their safe production. Bio-security protects the economy, environment, and people’s health by preventing the spread of disease and tries to limit the contact of foreign contaminants with the protected animals. A problem with turkeys is the chance of contamination from wild fowl; one of the reasons many people do not use free range turkeys. Even if turkeys and pigs are kept indoors, bio-security breaches pose a credible threat. Gary Olsen, a turkey producer mentions that bio-security "is often unique for every farm, one problem arises multiple times becoming the main concern for the farmer." Bio-security issues arise in pigs as well, but pig farmers have a tighter bio-security system implemented that often include shower in and shower out facilities such as the University of Alberta’s swine farm. Did you know that a share or proportional amount of turkeys is required from a farmer on an annual basis? "The province decides what percentage of the quota available in the province should be produced" (Nancy Robinson), and turkey farmers must then produce their assigned amounts. Quota can also be leased or purchased from quota holders to ensure the demand is met annually. -Lacey Skaling, Katie Ronsky, Stacie Becker, Erin Kolodziej and Joe Back
