Offal in Turkısh Cuisine: Example of Adana Province

Edible Offal as a Valuable Source of Nutrients in the Diet—A Review

“…The European Union (EU) defines [ 55 ] “meat” as the edible parts of animals, including blood, whereas “offal” is categorized as fresh meat apart from the carcass, comprising viscera and blood, thus excluding skeletal muscle ( Figure 2 ). Offal encompasses smooth muscle and internal organs like the liver, kidneys, heart, tongue, pancreas, spleen, brain, intestines, lungs [ 13 , 19 , 20 , 23 , 29 , 30 , 36 , 39 , 45 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ], and blood, all of which serve as food ingredients [ 4 , 55 ].…”

“…Numerous studies [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 20 , 21 , 23 , 44 , 45 , 51 , 52 , 58 , 61 , 68 , 69 , 78 , 117 , 119 ] have shown that offal contains a significant amount of high-quality protein, minerals (including iron, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, iodine, calcium, potassium, sodium, selenium, zinc, and manganese), vitamins (such as B1, B2, B6, folic acid, B12, A, D, E, and K), and essential fatty acids, especially n -3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and have a favorable polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) to saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratio. The chemical composition primarily determines the favorable taste and dietary qualities.…”

“…Despite the substantial nutritional value of offal, its utilization remains limited [ 8 , 18 ]. Although it is used in various dishes and products almost all over the world [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ], several factors (e.g., tradition, culture) limit its consumption [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. Residents of highly developed countries hardly consume offal [ 24 ], which may be due to preferences determined by the availability of other foods.…”