Although globally the demand for animal derived foods is growing rapidly driven by a combination of population growth, urbanisation and rising income, the contribution of milk and red meat to the UK diet has reduced considerably over the last 50 years. The contribution of poultry meat however, has increased enormously. Mainly because of their major contribution to saturated fatty acid (SFA) consumption, ruminant-derived foods have often been considered to be a major contributor to CHD/CVD and other chronic disorders. Given that we are living in an era of increasing risk of chronic disease as a result of increased obesity and an ever ageing population, it is important that risks and benefits associated with different foods are understood and that possible improvements to such foods are made with regard to the cost effectiveness and environmental impact.