Animal muscle portions are treated to form an enhanced muscle portion by providing a comminuted meat emulsion made from a first animal muscle tissue and having a pH of from about 6.5 to about 9.5, and adding the emulsion to an animal muscle portion in a manner that promotes uptake and/or distribution of the emulsion into the animal muscle portion to form an enhanced muscle portion. In an aspect, at least about 70% by weight of the protein of the tissue in the emulsion is solubilized, and the protein is not isolated from the tissue. In an aspect, no more than about 30% by weight of the protein of the tissue is precipitated. In an aspect, the tissue is not exposed to acid in a manner that would cause the pH of the tissue to be less than about 5.3. Products prepared by the processes are also described.
