Improving functional value of meat products

• Published in: Meat science 2010-09, Vol.86 (1), p.15-31
• Main Authors: Zhang, Wangang, Xiao, Shan, Samaraweera, Himali, Lee, Eun Joo, Ahn, Dong U.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: active ingredients; Added value; Animal Feed - analysis; animal production; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; carcass composition; conjugated linoleic acid; consumer acceptance; Consumer Behavior - economics; consumers; curing (food products); dietary fiber; enzymatic hydrolysis; feeds; fermentation; food fortification; Food Handling - methods; Food industries; food marketing; Food, Fortified - analysis; Food, Fortified - economics; Functional compounds; Functional Food - analysis; Functional Food - economics; functional foods; Functional meat; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health benefits; Health Promotion - trends; herbs; Humans; lactic acid bacteria; Marketing - trends; Meat - analysis; Meat - economics; meat aging; Meat and meat product industries; meat composition; meat products; Meat Products - analysis; Meat Products - economics; Meat quality; omega-3 fatty acids; peptides; risk; selenium; spices; vegetable protein; vitamin E
• ISSN: 0309-1740; 1873-4138
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2010.04.018

In recent years, much attention has been paid to develop meat and meat products with physiological functions to promote health conditions and prevent the risk of diseases. This review focuses on strategies to improve the functional value of meat and meat products. Value improvement can be realized by adding functional compounds including conjugated linoneleic acid, vitamin E, n3 fatty acids and selenium in animal diets to improve animal production, carcass composition and fresh meat quality. In addition, functional ingredients such as vegetable proteins, dietary fibers, herbs and spices, and lactic acid bacteria can be directly incorporated into meat products during processing to improve their functional value for consumers. Functional compounds, especially peptides, can also be generated from meat and meat products during processing such as fermentation, curing and aging, and enzymatic hydrolysis. This review further discusses the current status, consumer acceptance, and market for functional foods from the global viewpoints. Future prospects for functional meat and meat products are also discussed.