Food Vegetable and Fruit Waste Used in Meat Products
Mariel Calderón‐Oliver, Luis Humberto López-Hernández
Abstract
The food industry generates a considerable amount of waste every year, and these wastes include the inedible parts of fruits and vegetables as well as those that exceed maturity for consumption. These residues contain compounds such as polyphenols, fiber, carotenoids, and minerals, among others, that can provide some functionality to food, either as antioxidants, antimicrobials, or substitutes for fat, and protein. In this review, we explore different applications of food vegetable waste when they are incorporated into meat and its derivatives. The most used vegetable byproducts are the peels and seeds of fruits, such as grape, pomegranate, avocado, and citrus, which help to inhibit oxidation (lipid and protein) as well as the growth of pathogenic and deteriorating bacteria without modifying the sensory acceptability of the product by the consumer. In some cases, the incorporation of these byproducts can enhance the quality and extend the shelf life of meat products.