Author, Institution: Viktorija Eisinaitė, Kaunas University of Technology
Science Area, Field of Science: Technological Sciences, Chemical Engineering – 05T
Scientific Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ina JASUTIENĖ (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical Engineering – 05T).
Dissertation Defence Board of Chemical Engineering Science Field:
Prof. dr. Petras Rimantas VENSKUTONIS (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical Engineering – 05T) – chairman;
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Loreta BAŠINSKIENĖ (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical Engineering – 05T);
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rima KLIMAVIČIŪTĖ (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical Engineering – 05T);
Prof. Habil. Dr. Audrius Sigitas MARUŠKA (Vytautas Magnus University, Physical Sciences, Chemistry – 03P);
Prof. Dr. Dalija SEGLINA (Latvia State Institute of Fruit-Growing, Physical Sciences, Chemistry – 03P).
The doctoral dissertation is available at the library of Kaunas University of Technology (K. Donelaičio g. 20,Kaunas)
Annotation:
Over the past decade, the world observed a growing trend in meat consumption. Nevertheless, consumers expressed great concerns regarding meat products consumption. It is believed that a healthy image of meat is tarnished by its negative association with cardiovascular diseases and cancer. In this way, a wide range of meat products related to negative associations could be avoided by reducing unhealthy ingredients, such as synthetic food additives, or by replacing them with natural alternatives which have the same technological and functional properties. Synthetic red colorants in meat products could be replaced with a natural pigment betanin, extracted from beet root (Beta vulgaris). However, industrial application of this pigment is limited because of its sensitivity to various environmental and technological factors. In order to increase stability of this pigment, an encapsulation technology was offered. As an alternative to synthetic nitrite that is used as a preservative and color stabilizer in meat, vegetables that naturally accumulate a high amount of nitrates (for example, celery, parsnip, parsley, and leek) could be used. It is important to note that such vegetables must be used together with microorganisms that have nitrate-reducing properties in order to reduce nitrate to nitrite. The aim of the thesis was to create pigment encapsulation and stabilization tools, to characterize them, and to investigate the possibility of their application in meat products.
