Meat and meat products are generally recognized as good sources of high biological value proteins, fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, trace elements and bioactive compounds. Changes in socioeconomic factors in recent years have increased the consumer's preference for ready to eat foods including meat products. The processing of meat and meat products leads to generation of many functional compounds beneficial to human health but most of those foods are rich in fat, added salts but deficient in complex carbohydrates like dietary fiber and pose a health hazard that somehow is proved to be a predisposing factor for cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer, obesity including diabetes mellitus. With increasing consciousness among consumers about their nutrition and well being, there is a growing concern over nutritional diseases of affluence. Therefore an increase in dietary fiber inclusion in daily diet has been recommended. For adults, the recommended acceptable intakes of dietary fiber are 28-36 g/day, 70-80 % of which must be insoluble fiber. The insoluble fraction of dietary fiber has been related to intestinal regulation whereas soluble fiber is associated with decrease in cholesterol level and absorption of intestinal glucose. So incorporation of dietary fibers from different sources in meat products would help to enhance their desirability. Dietary fiber sources are generally agricultural byproducts that are comparatively cheap and incorporation in meat products reduces its overall cost. Whole grains and cereal brans are the rich source of insoluble fiber and pectins, gums, starch and other storage polysaccharides have high content of the soluble fraction. With this background, the effect of various dietary fibers on the quality attributes of meat and meat products with its physiological role has been reviewed here.

ObjectiveEffect of addition of wheat bran (WB) and dried carrot pomace (DCP) on sensory, textural, colour, physico-chemical and nutritional characteristics of chicken sausage were evaluated.MethodsWB and DCP were used as a source of dietary fibre at 3%, 6%, and 9% level individually. Different quality attributes of sausages were estimated. One product from each source with very good sensory acceptability was selected to analyze dietary fibre content and shelf life under refrigerated storage.ResultsSensory acceptability of 3% fibre enriched sausage was comparable with control and a further increase in fibre level resulted in a decrease in sensory acceptability. Fibre enriched sausages were significantly harder and less cohesive than control sausage. Significant increase in gumminess and chewiness was observed at 6% level in WB treated sausages and 9% level in DCP treated sausages. Moisture content decreased significantly in all treated sausages, protein content decreased significantly in DCP-2 and DCP-3 sausages while fat content decreased in all WB and DCP-3 treated sausages in comparison to control. The fibre enriched sausage had significantly higher dietary fibre and lower cholesterol content. Cooking yield and emulsion stability increased in treated sausages and a significant difference was noticed at 6% level in both types of sausages. pH of WB treated sausages was significantly higher and DCP treated sausage significantly lower in comparison to control.ConclusionThe results of present study indicate that fibre enriched chicken sausage with moderate acceptability can be developed by incorporating WB and DCP each up to 9% level. Chicken sausage with very good acceptability, higher dietary fibre content and storability up to 15 days at refrigerated temperature can be developed by incorporating WB and DCP at 6% level each.

Purpose – The aim of this study was to develop dietary fibre-enriched chicken sausage by incorporating fibre from a by-product of corn milling, apple and tomato processing. Design/methodology/approach – Sausages were developed by replacing lean meat with corn bran (CB), dried apple pomace (DAP) and dried tomato pomace (DTP) each at 3, 6 and 9 per cent levels. Organoleptic, nutritional and physico-chemical quality attributes of treated sausages were evaluated. One product from each fibre source with very good organoleptic acceptability was selected to estimate total dietary fibre content and assess shelf life under refrigerated temperature. Findings – Organoleptic acceptability of 3 per cent fibre-incorporated sausages were comparable with control. Moisture content decreased significantly in all treated sausages, protein content decreased in CB- and DAP-treated sausages, while ash content increased significantly in DTP-treated sausages. Emulsion stability and cooking yield was significantly higher in 6 and 9 per cent treated sausages, while crude fibre content was significantly higher in all the treated sausages. Practical implications – Chicken sausages with very good acceptability, higher dietary fibre content and storability up to 15 days at refrigerated temperature were developed by incorporating CB at 3 per cent level and DAP and DTP each at the 6 per cent level. Originality/value – The research is of value to meat processors. By-products like corn bran, apple and tomato pomace which are of low value can be profitably utilized to develop fibre enriched chicken sausage. Developed products will also help in promoting the image of meat as a healthy food.

The present study envisaged optimization and evaluation of corn starch (CS) level as a fat replacer in buffalo calf meat. A total of four treatments of sausages viz. Control: 20% fat, T-1: 3% CS, T-2: 6% CS, T-3: 9% CS were tried to select suitable level of fat replacer on the basis of water holding capacity, emulsion stability and sensory evaluation. The sausages with selected level of CS were evaluated for physico-chemical properties, texture profile, thio-barbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), proximate composition and sensory attributes. The 6% level of CS was found optimum and the cooking yield, pH, moisture content, protein content and sensory scores of selected sausages were significantly (P<0.05) higher in comparison to control, however vice-versa for TBARS and fat content. The study concluded that 6% CS level is optimum to develop the low-fat sausages with improved quality and with 43% lower calorie content.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of vacuum tumbling and red beetroot juice (RBJ) incorporation on quality characteristics of marinated chicken breast and leg meat cuts. Design/methodology/approach Vacuum tumbling of breast and leg meat cuts was carried for a duration of 2 h and compared with control (0 h tumbling) and traditionally marinated (6 h) meat cuts. Vacuum-tumbled treatments were also marinated using RBJ in place of water to assess the combined effect of RBJ and vacuum tumbling. All the cuts were cooked in an oven at 170°C for 40 min. Quality characteristics of fresh and refrigerated products were analysed. Findings Vacuum tumbling for 2 h resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) increase in marinade pickup, water-holding capacity (WHC), cooking yield, moisture and ash content and a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in hardness, gumminess, chewiness and shear press values in both types of meat. Breast meat treatments had significantly (p < 0.05) higher WHC, moisture, protein, cohesiveness and gumminess and significantly lower fat content, hardness and shear press values than leg meat treatments. Control breast and leg meats had marinade pickup of 9.19 and 9.31 per cent and cooking yield of 69.08 and 68.31 per cent, respectively, whereas corresponding values for treated breast and leg meats varied from 11.28 to 11.98 per cent and 73.32 to 74.94 per cent, respectively. Sensory scores declined significantly (p < 0.05) during refrigerated storage. On the 12th day of storage, control breast and leg meat cuts had acceptability scores of around 5.0, whereas all other treatments had acceptability scores between 6.0 and 7.0 on an eight-point scale, with RBJ-treated products having the highest acceptability. All the products were also microbiologically safe up to the 12th day of refrigerated storage. Originality/value The research is valuable to meat processors because vacuum tumbling for 2 h using RBJ as marinade can be used in place of 6 h of traditional marination for developing marinated chicken breast and leg meat products.