This chapter examines current challenges faced by the food industry in delivering meat products with desired characteristics and how hydrocolloids could be used to meet these challenges. Hydrocolloids perform a number of functions, including; thickening, gelling and binding, coating, stabilisation of foams, emulsions and dispersions and stabilisation of pH. Previous research carried out with hydrocolloids from many different sources, such as plants (trees, seeds, tubers and pulses), animal (milk, meat, animal by-products) and microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and yeast) is also discussed.