Exploring the prospects of the fifth quarter in the 21st century

Abstract

A variable proportion of slaughtered livestock, generally referred to as the fifth quarter, is not part of the edible dressed meat and regarded as animal byproduct. In order for the fifth quarter to play a significant role in the current effort toward a circular bio‐based economy, it has to successfully support food security, social inclusivity, environmental sustainability, and a viable economy. The high volume of these low‐value streams and their nutrient‐dense nature can facilitate their position as a very important candidate to explore within the context of a circular bio‐based economy to achieve some of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN‐SDGs). While these sources have been traditionally used for various applications across different cultures and industries, it seems evident that their full potential has not yet been exploited, leaving these products more like an environmental burden rather than valuable resources. With innovation and well‐targeted interdisciplinary collaborations, the potential of the fifth quarter can be fully realized. The present review intends to explore these low‐value streams, their current utilization, and their potential to tackle the global challenges of increasing protein demands while preventing environmental degradation. Factors that limit widespread applications of the fifth quarter across industries and cultures will also be discussed.

The efficiency and safety evaluation of hemoglobin hydrolysate as a non-heme iron fortifier

“…Many proteolytic peptides have been developed as non-heme iron fortifiers because of their ability to promote the non-heme iron absorption through strong binding capacity of non-heme iron [17,18]. At present, the utilization ratio and commercial value of hemoglobin are low [5,6]. Hemoglobin hydrolysate is an important product of hemoglobin commercial processing.…”

“…The protein accounts for more than 80% of the dry weight of animal blood [4]. Hemoglobin is the most abundant protein in the blood (more than 60%), which provide essential amino acids and iron for the body [5]. However, hemoglobin is often discarded or used as additives of animal feedstuff due to consumers' religious beliefs and the heme of hemoglobin that impart a dark-red color and metallic flavor to the product, which caused huge economic losses [5,6].…”

“…Hemoglobin is the most abundant protein in the blood (more than 60%), which provide essential amino acids and iron for the body [5]. However, hemoglobin is often discarded or used as additives of animal feedstuff due to consumers' religious beliefs and the heme of hemoglobin that impart a dark-red color and metallic flavor to the product, which caused huge economic losses [5,6]. At present, enzymatic hydrolysis is an important method to enhance the commercial value of hemoglobin and separate unpleasant heme from hemoglobin [7].…”

Formulation and Quality Evaluation of Chicken Nuggets Supplemented with Beef and Chicken Livers

“…Byproducts from several organs, including the liver, lung, heart, kidney, brain, spleen, and tripe, are often used in conventional dishes across many cultures ( Nollet and Toldra, 2011 ). These byproducts are essential for constructing nutrient-dense meals since they frequently include high protein levels, vitamins, and minerals ( Soladoye et al, 2022 ). Utilizing these byproducts in specific circumstances can also help prevent food waste and promote more sustainable food systems ( Jurgilevich et al, 2016 ).…”

Physicochemical and Techno-Functional Properties of Dried and Defatted Porcine Liver

“…Moreover, the growth of world population and the increase in demand for food, combined with actions in favor of the sustainability of the meat industry, have highlighted the need to find alternative protein sources (pulses, cereals, insects, fungi, algae, and protein recovered from meat or fish by-products) of nutritional and sensory quality, with a milder environmental impact [ 5 ]. In this regard, the nutritional value of meat co-products is closely comparable to lean meat [ 13 ], and they are sources of high-quality proteins with excellent techno-functional properties.…”