Meat products as prebiotic food carrier.

Abstract Meat products are widely consumed around the world, and, for that, can be a very interesting prebiotic food carrier due to the need for developing healthier formulations such as reduced fat and fiber increasing in processed meats. This chapter aims to discuss prebiotic compounds and dietary fibers classified as functional ingredients with physiological properties and their potential applications in meat products due to the common metabolic interface between these components. The prebiotic compounds isolated, such as inulin, and fructooligosaccharides, and ingredients that carriers prebiotic compounds, such as seeds, pulses, and nuts are addressed as fat and meat substitutes. An overview of the health appeal of prebiotic compounds and the main strategies to obtain healthier meat products are discussed. The importance of animal fat to technological and sensory properties in meat products and the relevance and strategies of its substitution using prebiotics to guarantee healthier meat products is reviewed, as well as the use of chia derivates as potential prebiotics to replace animal fat. Also, a critical analysis is carried out on the effects of adding prebiotic fibers in different product categories: emulsified, fermented, and restructured meat products. Finally, the strategies to substitute meat using seeds and pulses, which are sources of prebiotic compounds, are covered.