Phosphate alternatives for meat processing and challenges for the industry: A critical review.

Meat and meat products provide high levels of nutrition and many health benefits to consumers, yet a controversy exists regarding the use of non-meat additives, such as the inorganic phosphates that are commonly used in meat processing, and particularly their relationship to cardiovascular health and kidney complications. Inorganic phosphates are salts of phosphoric acid (e.g., sodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, or calcium phosphate), whereas organic phosphates are ester compounds (e.g., the phospholipids found in cell membranes). In this sense, the meat industry remains active in its efforts to improve formulations for processed meat products with the use of natural ingredients. Despite efforts to improve formulations, many processed meat products still contain inorganic phosphates, which are used for their technological contributions to meat chemistry including improvements in water-holding capacity and protein solubilization. This review provides a thorough evaluation of phosphate substitutes in meat formulations and other processing technologies that can help eliminate phosphates from the formulations of processed meat products. In general, several ingredients have been evaluated as replacements for inorganic phosphates with varying degrees of success such as plant-based ingredients (e.g., starches, fibers, or seeds), fungi ingredients (e.g., mushrooms and mushroom extracts), algae ingredients, animal-based ingredients (e.g., meat/seafood, dairy, or egg materials), and inorganic compounds (i.e., minerals). Although these ingredients have shown some favorable effects in certain meat products, none have exactly matched the many functions of inorganic phosphates, so the support of extrinsic technologies, such as tumbling, ultrasound, high-pressure processing (HPP), and pulsed electric field (PEF), may be necessary to achieve similar physiochemical properties as conventional products. The meat industry should continue to investigate ways to scientifically innovate the formulations of, and the technologies used in, processed meat products while also listening to (and acting upon) the feedback from consumers.

A comprehensive review on cereal ß-glucan: extraction, characterization, causes of degradation, and food application.

ß-glucan derived from cereal sources are high in soluble dietary fiber and can be used as thickeners, texture enhancers, stabilizers, and fat substitutes in foods. Due to its pronounced viscosity, ß-glucan has physiological activity in the body, such as decreasing the glycemic index of foods and reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease in people. This review focuses on the characteristics of cereal ß-glucans, extraction methods, and causes of degradation, while presenting the most relevant and recent applications in foods. Today, there is an abundant amount of information regarding extraction and characterization of ß-glucans. However, studies on the degradation and application of fiber are more recent and warrant review. The incorporation of ß-glucan has worked well in high carbohydrate foods (e.g., pasta and snacks), but there are still challenges with its inclusion in protein-rich foods (e.g., dairy and meat products). After a comprehensive search and an objective point of view of these aspects, the primary challenges with the incorporation of ß-glucan in foods are the inclusion of sufficient amounts of dietary fiber to have a significant nutritional contribution, the combination with other ingredients and other components of the food (evaluated synergistically or antagonistically), and the new incorporation of ß-glucan in foods without their degradation during processing.