Fruit and vegetable processing by-products as functional meat product ingredients -a chance to improve the nutritional value
Patrycja Skwarek, Małgorzata Karwowska
Abstract
One of the main challenges the food industry faces is generating an increased amount of waste from processing fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables wastes (e.g., peel fractions, pulps, pomace, and seeds) represent ∼16% of total food waste and contribute ∼6% to global greenhouse gas emissions. There is a need for greater investments by companies to process and neutralize processed waste properly in order to reduce waste and thus minimize its negative impact on the environment. The addition of various by-products in foods can provide both a viable economic solution through their use, and a substantial health aid through their nutritional and functional value. One possible solution can be using fruit and vegetable by products, such as pomace or peels rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamins, and dietary fibers, as a natural substitutes for nitrates in meat products. They provide compounds that have valuable properties, and reduce the negative environmental impact caused by discarding a significant part of the fruit (seeds and peels). Therefore, this article discusses the scientific literature on the by-products of processed fruit and vegetable rich in antimicrobial and antioxidant bioactive compounds with potential applications in meat products with particular emphasis on grapes, apples, berries and tomatoes. Their use in the production of meat products effectively inhibits oxidation processes and limits the development of pathogens.