A comprehensive review on antioxidant dietary fibre enriched meat-based functional foods

Background: Meat and meat products, in spite of having high biological value protein and essential nutrients required for human sustenance, are highly susceptible to lipid oxidation and also deficient in complex carbohydrates like dietary fibre (DF). This deficiency of DF is often associated with increased occurrence of some chronic diseases such as risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer. Besides, development of oxidative changes in meat and meat products needs to be readdressed to prevent the quality deterioration during storage. Scope and Approach: A wide range of plant-derived materials and their by-products are potentially rich sources of DFs and bioactive compounds (phytochemicals) with inherent antioxidant properties, commonly known as antioxidant dietary fibres (ADFs). ADF holds the promise to act as functional ingredient to ameliorate the deficiency in DF as well as oxidative changes in meat products, besides offering health benefits. So, fortification of meat and meat products with functional ingredients (ADFs) having dual properties, therefore, assumes significance. Key Findings and Conclusions: This comprehensive review focuses on the present knowledge in the literature about the sources of ADFs and their potential application as functional ingredients to improve the physicochemical characteristics, oxidative stability, sensory attributes and shelf life of meat and meat products. Considering the positive health effects of ADF, its incorporation in meat products opens up new possibilities for the industry to improve its "image" and opportunity to address consumer demands.