Grape seeds have been evaluated for use as food ingredients with stabilizing effects in meat technology. A pork neck, inoculated with probiotic monoculture (Lactobacillus rhamnosus LOCK900), was used as the matrix. The study compared the antioxidant potential of grape seed extract to sodium ascorbate. Three experimental variants of the products were prepared: With grape seed extract, with sodium ascorbate, and without additives. The meat ripened for two months, and during this period of time biophysicochemical analyses (product color, pH, number of lactic acid bacteria, content of free fatty acids, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) were carried out. It was found that the extract inhibited lipid hydrolysis occurring in the neck (1% of oleic acid) and limited oxidative processes (0.46 mg MDA kg⁻¹), with efficacy similar to that of sodium ascorbate (0.9% of oleic acid and 0.53 mg MDA kg⁻¹, respectively). No limitation of the desired lactic acid bacteria growth (approximately 7 log cfu g⁻¹) was noticed in the meat samples with the extract. The results are optimistic because they indicate that not only is it possible to produce fermented pork neck inoculated with probiotic, but there are also no obstacles to utilizing grape seed extract as a natural antioxidant in this technology.

Aquafaba is the water solution left over from cooking legumes, mainly chickpeas. The liquid can also be obtained from canned beans. Aquafaba is currently very popular as an egg replacement in vegan diets. The chemical composition of aquafaba depends on the type of legume, variety, genotype and parameters during production, such as cooking time or proportions of water to seeds. Aquafaba can be used for its nutritional properties. Aquafaba is starting to be used more widely in food technology as well, due to its innovative texture-shaping properties. The foaming, emulsifying, gelling and thickening properties of aquafaba can be used in plant-based food recipes, but also in animal-based food recipes and 3D printing. So far, aquafaba has been used to make meringues, cakes, cookies, bread, crackers and vegan dairy substitutes. This raw material is used for the production of low-calorie food and for people on an egg-free diet. Perhaps the potential of this product is greater. The use of waste from legumes will be the answer from food producers to the needs of consumers, for whom environmental protection or the clean label trend are particularly important. In order to effectively use aquafaba in food technology, it is necessary to standardize its production process and conduct further research on the potential of using other legumes.

Consumers expect the appropriate tenderness, juiciness, and taste, a well as sufficiently long shelf life from meat subjected to thermal processing. One of the methods used to achieve this effect is sous-vide (SV). However, the low temperatures used in this method may not be sufficient to ensure the safety of the meat product. In order to increase safety and reduce adverse sensory changes, we suggest marinating the meat in fermented dairy products (FDP). The aim of the study was to determine the impact of marinating meat in FDP (kefir, yogurt, buttermilk), marinating time (3–12 days), and SV temperature (60 or 80 °C) on the quality and safety of pork steaks. Marinating the meat increases the level of loss during cooking, but at the same time, has no effect on the chemical composition and activity of water. The acidity of steaks decreases with the time of marinating. A few days of meat marinating in buttermilk or yogurt slows down the fat oxidation reactions and reduces the content of oxidizing substances in meat. Meat marinated in FDP and SV cooked contains acceptable microbial values. Marinating in FDP, especially in yogurt or buttermilk, improves the quality and safety of SV-cooked pork steaks.