Files
Abstract
Food waste accounts for $161 billion in loss in the US. Meat animal waste and meat products are considered a major contributor of food loss. Utilizing animal by-products in further processing would reduce meat waste and generate economic benefits. A recent study determined the biochemical composition of beef tongue, but no research has evaluated the potential of beef tongue as a value-added, multi-purpose food ingredient. In this study, beef tongue was skinned, chopped, micronized, filtered and spray-dried. The meat powder properties were characterized, and proximate composition, lipid composition, and proteomic profile were evaluated. Results indicated that beef tongue powder retains native protein structure, an abundance of unsaturated fatty acids, and other nutritional elements that show potential for it to be a high-quality functional food ingredient. Future research should include the application and evaluation of beef tongue powder for improvement of quality, sensory, and nutritional aspects of various food products.