Seal meat: A unique source of muscle food for health and nutrition

Abstract

Abstract Seal meat is a unique source of muscle food for health and nutrition. It contains a high amount of protein with a well‐balanced amino acid composition. It is a lean meat with less than 3% fat, mainly composed of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, both of which are considered to possess beneficial health effects. Meanwhile, the content of potentially harmful constituents, namely nucleic acids and cholesterol, in the meat is low. Seal meat also provides an excellent source of minerals, particularly iron, and vitamins, especially vitamin B‐12. Seal meat may be used, as such, in production of processed products such as salami, pepperoni, and sausages, or it can be further processed to hydrolyzates for use in specialized applications. The residual proteins remaining on the bones after mechanical separation of the meat may be recovered by a base‐ or enzyme‐assisted process.