Lycopene, belonging to the carotenoids, is a tetraterpene compound abundantly found in tomato and tomato-based products. It is fundamentally recognized as a potent antioxidant and a non-pro-vitamin A carotenoid. Lycopene has been found to be efficient in ameliorating cancer insurgences, diabetes mellitus, cardiac complications, oxidative stress-mediated malfunctions, inflammatory events, skin and bone diseases, hepatic, neural and reproductive disorders. This review summarizes information regarding its sources and uses amongst different societies, its biochemistry aspects, and the potential utilization of lycopene and possible mechanisms involved in alleviating the abovementioned disorders. Furthermore, future directions with the possible use of this nutraceutical against lifestyle-related disorders are emphasized. Its protective effects against recommended doses of toxic agents and toxicity and safety are also discussed.

School nutrition is an important key factor of childrens’ learning activity. This article reviews the principles of balanced nutrition, the main problems that arise in school nutrition. The analysis of school menu shows that it mostly presented with traditional dishes that are not always able to meet the growing needs of the young body. Therefore the menu of school canteen which includes fortified with vitamins and minerals drinks, nonfat meat food and bakery products is presented. The survey results showed that 90% of schoolchildren were completely satisfied with the proposed menu. This kind of diet was also positively reflected to schoolchildren learning activity and physical well-being.

Growing consumer demand for healthier meat products with clean-label ingredients has increased interest in plant-based fortification strategies. The present study evaluated the effects of a multicomponent cereal supplement comprising rice (35%), buckwheat (20%), oats (20%), and corn (25%) on the physicochemical, functional, oxidative, hydrolytic, and sensory properties of meat patties. Four formulations were prepared with 0% (control), 5%, 10%, and 15% supplement inclusion. At higher inclusion levels of the cereal supplement, the patties showed reduced moisture, protein, and fat contents, while ash and carbohydrate levels increased. Conversely, ash content increased from 1.38% to 2.82%, and carbohydrates rose to 8.99%. pH remained stable (5.92–6.04), whereas aw decreased significantly at 10% (0.921) and 15% (0.889) inclusion (p < 0.05). Functional tests showed dose-dependent improvements in water-binding capacity, which increased from 65.98% in the control to 71.58% at 10% supplement, and in fat retention, which rose from 38.3% to 54.14% under the same conditions, with optimal performance observed at 10% inclusion. TBARS values in 10% and 15% formulations were 13–20% lower than control throughout storage (p < 0.05). The increase in acid number was significantly slower in supplemented patties, indicating that the cereal blend effectively inhibited lipid hydrolysis during storage. Sensory evaluation revealed maximal acceptability at 10% inclusion, with declines at 15% due to grainy texture and flavor dilution. These findings establish 10% multicomponent cereal supplementation as a promising strategy to enhance yield, shelf-life stability, and consumer appeal of meat patties without compromising processing parameters.

The incorporation of leafy vegetables into meat products offers a promising strategy for enhancing nutritional value and shelf-life while reducing reliance on synthetic additives. This study evaluated the substitution of lamb (Edilbaev breed) with spinach (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) in meat dumplings to assess effects on composition, functionality, microbial stability, lipid oxidation, and sensory quality. Spinach addition enriched the products with minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber while moderating fat and protein content. Functional properties such as water- and fat-binding capacity were improved, contributing to lower cooking losses, and microbiological tests confirmed slower proliferation of spoilage organisms during chilled storage. Moreover, spinach components contributed to improved oxidative stability, as evidenced by lower thiobarbituric acid values and reduced acid numbers, indicating slower lipid oxidation and hydrolysis. Sensory evaluation revealed that substitution up to 20% maintained favorable appearance, texture, and taste, while higher levels diminished acceptability. Overall, incorporating spinach at a 20% substitution level provides an optimal balance of nutritional enhancement, functional performance, microbial and oxidative stability, and sensory acceptance, making it a practical approach for developing healthier lamb-based dumplings with strong potential for consumer acceptance and market application.

The growing demand for cost-effective, high-quality protein ingredients in the meat industry highlights the need for advanced processing methods capable of producing uniform, functional meat–bone pastes from poultry by-products. This study investigates the optimization of colloid milling parameters for the fine grinding of chicken meat–bone by-products, with a focus on improving particle size distribution, rheological properties, and processing efficiency. A modified rotor–stator system with teeth inclined at 20° and a reduced pitch (0.5 mm) was compared to a conventional configuration (45° inclination, 1.5 mm pitch). Experiments were conducted at rotor speeds ranging from 1000 to 4000 rpm, with a fixed clearance of 0.1 mm. The results showed that the modified design significantly enhanced grinding efficiency, reducing the proportion of bone fragments > 1 mm and yielding over 70% of particles under 0.1 mm at 3000 rpm. Viscosity and shear stress measurements indicated that grinding at 3000 rpm yielded a dynamic viscosity of 71,507 Pa·s and a shear stress of 43,531 mPa·s, values that were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those observed at other tested speeds, thereby producing a paste consistency with the most favorable balance of elasticity and flowability. At 4000 rpm, the temperature rise (up to 32 °C) led to partial denaturation of muscle proteins, accompanied by emulsion destabilization and disruption of the protein gel matrix, resulting in reductions in the viscosity and water-binding capacity of the paste. Comparative analysis confirmed that tool geometry and rotor speed have critical effects on grinding quality, energy use, and thermal load. The optimal operating parameters, 3000 rpm with modified rotor–stator teeth, achieve the finest, most homogeneous bone paste while preserving protein functionality and minimizing energy losses. These findings support the development of energy-efficient grinding equipment for the valorization of poultry by-products in emulsified meat formulations.

This study evaluated the feasibility of incorporating a protein–oil emulsion based on beef tripe, meat trimmings, and vegetable oil into semi-smoked sausages produced from maral (red deer) meat, with maral fat used as the sole animal fat source. Four sausage variants were formulated and produced to evaluate the effects of different protein–oil emulsion inclusion levels (0, 10, 15, and 20%) on nutritional, textural, and sensory characteristics. Replacement of part of the maral fat with the protein–oil emulsion resulted in a reduction in total fat content (11.6–14.7%) while protein levels remained stable (20.6–21.4%). Fatty acid analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in saturated fatty acids (from 54.64% in the control to 35.45% in the highest emulsion variant) accompanied by a marked increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids (from 22.20% to 37.57%), primarily due to higher linoleic acid content. Texture profile analysis showed a progressive reduction in hardness, gumminess, and chewiness with increasing emulsion inclusion (p < 0.05), whereas springiness and cohesiveness were not significantly affected (p > 0.05), indicating the preservation of elastic and cohesive properties. Sensory evaluation confirmed that sausages containing moderate levels of the protein–oil emulsion maintained favorable appearance, flavor, and juiciness, with no adverse effects on overall acceptability. These results indicate that combining maral fat with a protein–oil emulsion is an effective strategy for producing nutritionally improved red deer meat sausages with balanced lipid composition and consumer-acceptable texture and sensory quality.