STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE NUTRITIONAL AND HEALTH CHARACTERISTICS OF MEAT PIE OF MURCIA

Abstract

improvement of the nutritive quality and healthy properties of the meat pie of Murcia (MMP), maintaining its appreciated organoleptic quality and the design of a functional MMP through the addition of a natural ingredient rich in fructooligosaccharides. different formulations of the MMP (healthy MMP and functional MMP) have been elaborated by changing the type and amount of some of its ingredients. The nutritional composition, the caloric value, the fatty acid profile and the fat quality have been determined. Different sensory attributes have been evaluated together with the global acceptance using a descriptive scale and an hedonic scale respectively. the healthy MMP presents a lower energy content (15.4%), total fat (39%), saturated fat (48%) and salt (45%), and a decrease of the potential atherogenic (27%), trombogenic (30%) and hipercholesterolemic (30%) indexes than the traditional product. Among the four amounts assayed (2.5, 5, 10 y 15%), only the substitution with 2.5 and 5% of the functional ingredient, did not diminish the global acceptance of the functional MMP when compared to the traditional one. the changes in the formulation have improved the nutritive composition and the healthy characteristics of the traditional MMP, keeping its organoleptic quality. The functional MMP elaborated with the functional ingredient at 5% represents an improvement in the functional characteristics of the studied food. These strategies contribute to the maintenance of this type of traditional foods, avoiding the lose of culture, identity and gastronomic heritage of Spain and in particular in the Region of Murcia.