A RISING STAR PREBIOTIC DIETARY FIBER: INULIN AND RECENT APPLICATIONS IN MEAT PRODUCTS

Inulin is a soluble dietary fiber extracted by a washing process mainly from chicory roots.In recent years, inulin has been mentioned as an ingredient having an important application potential in various areas such as chemical, food industry and pharmacy.Since there has been a rising demand for consumption of healthier meat products all over the world due to high and saturated fat content of these products, it is important to suggest healthier ingredients that have an ability to compensate for fat replacement.There has been a growing increase in number of studies on the incorporation of inulin in the formulation of various meat products, due to the positive impacts of inulin on textural, sensory and technological quality parameters compared to full-fat products, as well as it has beneficial effects promoting human health.In this review, we have chosen to briefly highlight inulin in terms of its physico-chemical properties, health implications and potential applications in meat products.