![Qualität_Fleisch](/agroscope/en/home/topics/food/quality/_jcr_content/par/columncontrols/items/0/column/textimage/image.imagespooler.jpg/1473881545591/original/Qualität_Fleisch.jpg)
Milk, meat, eggs and honey are foods of animal origin. They supply the body with high-quality proteins as well as minerals (e.g. calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, iodine) and vitamins (various B vitamins as well as vitamin D). This is why they contribute largely to a healthy and balanced diet.
Many foodstuffs of animal origin, resulting from primary production, are transformed in specialized establishments (e.g. pork-butchers, cheese factories). The objectives are to increase the diversity and shelf life of foodstuffs of animal origin as a result of careful treatment carried out under hygienic conditions and also to ensure the safeguard of important nutritive components in concentrations as high as possible.