A process for producing a protein product from animal muscle tissue, wherein the protein product is pasteurized and is functional meat, the process comprising: A) homogenizing the animal muscle tissue and water, B) adjusting the pH of the homogenate of Step A) to solubilize the protein to obtain a solubilized liquid protein solution, C) elevating the temperature of the solubilized liquid protein solution of Step B) comprising: (i) pasteurizing by elevating the temperature of the solubilized liquid protein solution of Step B) to a temperature ranging from about 54.4°C (130°F) to about 71.1°C (160°F), for a time ranging from about 0 seconds to about 121 minutes; or (ii) pasteurizing until the internal temperature of the solubilized liquid protein solution of Step B) is elevated to at least 71.1°C (160°F), to obtain a solubilized liquid protein solution with a reduced pathogen level, wherein the reduced pathogen level comprises at least a reduction in salmonella by 6.5 log 10 ; D) chilling the solubilized liquid protein solution having a reduced pathogen level of Step (C) to an intermediate temperature to obtain a chilled liquid protein solution, and E) precipitating the protein from the chilled liquid protein solution of step (D) to obtain a precipitated protein, wherein the precipitated protein has a reduced pathogen level as compared to a precipitated protein that has not undergone the pasteurization of Step C) and wherein the precipitated protein retains the water binding characteristics of functional raw meat; wherein the precipitated protein is the protein product. A) homogenizing the animal muscle tissue and water, B) adjusting the pH of the homogenate of Step A) to solubilize the protein to obtain a solubilized liquid protein solution, C) elevating the temperature of the solubilized liquid protein solution of Step B) comprising: (i) pasteurizing by elevating the temperature of the solubilized liquid protein solution of Step B) to a temperature ranging from about 54.4°C (130°F) to about 71.1°C (160°F), for a time ranging from about 0 seconds to about 121 minutes; or (ii) pasteurizing until the internal temperature of the solubilized liquid protein solution of Step B) is elevated to at least 71.1°C (160°F), to obtain a solubilized liquid protein solution with a reduced pathogen level, wherein the reduced pathogen level comprises at least a reduction in salmonella by 6.5 log 10 ; (i) pasteurizing by elevating the temperature of the solubilized liquid protein solution of Step B) to a temperature ranging from about 54.4°C (130°F) to about 71.1°C (160°F), for a time ranging from about 0 seconds to about 121 minutes; or (ii) pasteurizing until the internal temperature of the solubilized liquid protein solution of Step B) is elevated to at least 71.1°C (160°F), to obtain a solubilized liquid protein solution with a reduced pathogen level, wherein the reduced pathogen level comprises at least a reduction in salmonella by 6.5 log 10 ; D) chilling the solubilized liquid protein solution having a reduced pathogen level of Step (C) to an intermediate temperature to obtain a chilled liquid protein solution, and E) precipitating the protein from the chilled liquid protein solution of step (D) to obtain a precipitated protein, wherein the precipitated protein has a reduced pathogen level as compared to a precipitated protein that has not undergone the pasteurization of Step C) and wherein the precipitated protein retains the water binding characteristics of functional raw meat; <EOS>