Mechanisms of Calcium Precipitation in Cheese‐Enriched Meat Products: A Review of Factors, Challenges, and Potential Solutions

ABSTRACT Calcium, an essential nutrient, plays a crucial role in various physiological functions in humans and other organisms. Diets of poor quality can lead to deficiencies in several essential nutrients, with calcium being one of the most commonly deficient. This review explores the phenomenon of calcium precipitation in cheese‐enriched meat products, a pressing challenge in the development of stable and nutritionally fortified food matrices. The review explains the physicochemical, structural, and environmental interactions underlying calcium redistribution and crystal formation when cheese is incorporated into meat systems. The core drivers, such as pH shifts, thermal treatments, protein‐calcium binding, and phosphate and chelator additives' roles, are discussed in detail. This review identifies critical control points and presents emerging technological interventions, from encapsulated calcium systems to modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Synthesizing current knowledge and outlining future directions calls for precision formulation approaches to transform calcium precipitation for innovation in functional food design.