Nutritional value of a new type of substitute caviar

Abstract

The caviar group of products includes a subgroup of caviar substitutes. The raw material used to manufacture a substitute called white caviar are eggs of garden snails of the Cornu aspersum species. The nutritional value of every foodstuff depends on its nutrient content and caloric value. The goal of this study was to determine the nutritional value and protein quality commercially available substitute caviar manufactured from the eggs of the Cornu genus snails. The basic composition and amino acid profile were determined according to a procedure based on international standards (ISO). The carbohydrate content and caloric value were calculated according to the literature. We established that the caviar substitute had a high water content (81.41%) and low contents of protein (4.23%), fat (0.09%), carbohydrates (6.62%), and ash (7.65%), so that its caloric value was also low (44.16 kcal/100 g). The total amount of essential amino acids was 51.13 grams per 100 grams of protein, and that of non-essential amino acids was 48.37 grams per 100 grams of protein. The biological value of proteins was determined by calculating the chemical score (CS) and the essential amino acid index (EAAI). To calculate these values, we used a standard protein established by a joint FAO/WHO/UNU expert group to quantify the daily requirement for essential amino acids for an adult person. The limiting amino acid for the product in question was the sum of methionine and cysteine. CS was 130.43, and EAAI was 190.45. The chemical composition of the caviar substitute was characterized by a low content of nutrients that determine the caloric value of a product. The protein content of the product was characterized by a favourable amino acid composition and a high nutritional value measured by the CS and EAAI indicators. However, due to the low protein content and the low quantity of the product consumed, it is not a foodstuff significant to meeting the daily requirement for essential amino acids for an adult person.