SUBSTANTIATION OF THE USE OF NUTRITION MEAT IN THE TECHNOLOGY OF HEALTHY FOOD PRODUCTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31548/humanhealth.2.2026.07Keywords:
nutria meat, non-traditional meat raw materials, physicochemical properties, sensory evaluation, nutritional value, minced meat productsAbstract
The study investigates the quality of nutria meat (Myocastor coypus) as an alternative raw material for the production of healthy meat products. The relevance of the research is determined by the need to expand the range of meat products with enhanced biological value and to utilize non-traditional sources of animal protein in modern food technologies. The aim of the study was to determine the physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics of nutria meat and to evaluate its technological potential in the production of comminuted meat products. The research was carried out using standard laboratory methods for determining chemical composition, functional-technological properties, and sensory attributes.
It was established that nutria meat has a moderate moisture content (63.03%), high protein content (21.3%), relatively low-fat content (8.8%), and elevated levels of mineral substances (1.87%), indicating its high nutritional value. The water-holding capacity of the minced meat was 51.14%, ensuring sufficient stability of meat systems and contributing to a uniform product texture. The combination of moderate moisture content and satisfactory water-holding capacity indicates a predominance of bound water, which may reduce weight losses during heat treatment and improve structural properties. The active acidity value (pH 6.77) reflects a favorable state of the protein system and contributes to enhanced water-binding capacity.
Sensory evaluation showed high consumer acceptability: appearance – 4.8 points, color – 4.7 points, consistency – 4.6 points, taste and odor – 4.8 points each. The overall sensory score averaged 4.7 points, confirming the high sensory quality of the raw material. The meat is characterized by a uniform structure, pleasant aroma, and pronounced meat flavor without off-notes.
The results confirm the feasibility of using nutria meat in the production of comminuted semi-finished and functional meat products. The practical significance lies in its application for developing new formulations and improving meat processing efficiency.
Received 13.02.2026, accepted 21.03.2026, published 22.06.2026.
References
Bhat, Z. F., Kumar, S., & Fayaz, H. (2021). Meat analogues: A review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 61(15), 2597–2611. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1768031
Bhawana, I., Malik, A., Raposo, A., Singh, S., Yadav, S., Zandonadi, R. P., Lo, L. H., Khan, H., & Thakur, N. (2023). Physico-chemical, sensory and microbiological quality of raw chicken meat: A survey study in Hisar City, Haryana, India. Frontiers in Nutrition, 10, 1184005. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2023.1184005
DSTU 4823.2:2007. (2007). Meat and meat products. Methods for determination of moisture content (Part 2). Kyiv: Derzhspozhyvstandart of Ukraine.
DSTU ISO 1442:2005. (2005). Meat and meat products. Determination of moisture content (reference method). Kyiv: Derzhspozhyvstandart of Ukraine.
DSTU ISO 1443:2005. (2005). Meat and meat products. Determination of total fat content. Kyiv: Derzhspozhyvstandart of Ukraine.
DSTU ISO 937:2005. (2005). Meat and meat products. Determination of nitrogen content (Kjeldahl method). Kyiv: Derzhspozhyvstandart of Ukraine.
Haščík, P., & Pavelková, A. (2023). Meat performance, chemical composition and sensory evaluation of Myocastor coypus meat. Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences, 13(3), e10628. https://doi.org/10.55251/jmbfs.10628
Hanusová, J., Miluchová, M., & Gábor, M. (2022). Evaluation of amino acids in meat and liver of nutria (Myocastor coypus Molina) depending on age. Journal of Central European Agriculture, 23(1), 24–30. https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/23.1.3450
Iosub, I. A., Lazăr, R., Ciobanu, M. M., & Boişteanu, P. C. (2022). Research on characterization of physicochemical parameters of nutria meat. Animal & Food Sciences Journal Iasi, 77, 203–207.
Meinilä, J., & Virtanen, J. K. (2024). Meat and meat products – a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. Food & Nutrition Research, 68, 10538. https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v68.10538
Peshuk, L., Simonova, I., & Shtyk, I. (2022). Modern trend – health products with microalgae. Scientific Messenger of LNU of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnologies. Series: Food Technologies, 24(97), 52–59. https://doi.org/10.32718/nvlvet-f9709
Pighin, D., Pazos, A., Chamorro, V., & Grigioni, G. (2020). Role of meat in human nutrition and health. Meat Science, 162, 108089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2020.108089
Ribeiro, A. J., Silva, F., Teixeira, P., & Saraiva, C. M. (2025). Dry-aged beef: A global review of meat quality traits, microbiome dynamics, safety, and sustainable strategies. Journal of Food Science, 90(10), e70589. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.70589
Rodionova, K. O., Paliy, A. P., Yatsenko, I. V., & Palii, A. P. (2020). Adaptation of nutria meat to industrial technologies of the meat industry. Journal for Veterinary Medicine, Biotechnology and Biosafety, 6(1), 31–36. https://doi.org/10.36016/JVMBBS-2020-6-1-6
Rodrigues, S. S. Q., et al. (2023). Novel approaches to improve meat products’ healthy characteristics: A review on lipids, salts, and nitrites. Foods, 12(15), 2962. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12152962
Slováček, J., Nedomová, Š., Janík Piechowiczová, M., Mikulka, O., & Jůzl, M. (2024). Comparative study on quality parameters of dry-cured beaver (Castor fiber) and nutria (Myocastor coypus) sausages. Czech Journal of Food Sciences, 42(5), 382–389. https://doi.org/10.17221/XXX/2024-CJFS
Tůmová, E., Chodová, D., Volek, Z., & Ketta, M. (2021). The effect of feed restriction, sex and age on the carcass composition and meat quality of nutrias (Myocastor coypus). Meat Science, 182, 108625. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108625
Zahia-Azizan, N. A., Yee, C. S., Ushidee-Radzi, M. A., Ilham, Z., Abd Rahim, M. H., Raseetha, S., Hamid, N., Jamaludin, A. A., & Wan-Mohtar, W. A. A. Q. I. (2025). Development of antimicrobial and antioxidative chicken patties using liquid-fermented Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus djamor fruiting body biomass. Fermentation, 11(7), 393. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11070393
Zduńczyk, W., Tkacz, K., Pietrzak-Fiećko, R., Bottari, B., & Modzelewska-Kapituła, M. (2024). Pork as a source of nutrients in a human diet–Comparison of meat obtained from conventional and organic systems offered in the Polish market. NFS Journal, 37, 100199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nfs.2024.100199
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Human and nation's health
All materials are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License, which allows others to extend the article with acknowledgment of authorship and first publication in this journal.
