Introduction
smoking, drying, and salting of meats belong to the oldest methods of food preservation. Ages ago, meat hung above a fire was preserved by the combined action of drying and smoking, which was often preceded by pickling in brine. Smoking extended the shelf life and changed the sensory properties of the meats. The procedures of smoking have been gradually improved to suit the requirements of people in different regions of the world in respect to shelf life and sensory properties. The role of the preservative effect of smoking diminished in many countries, while flavoring and safety are of paramount importance for the processor and consumer. Nowadays, various smoking procedures are applied throughout the world in households treating the meat and sausages for domestic use, as well as in large processing plants for the market. It is estimated that as much as 40%-60% of the total amount of meats and meat products are smoked.