In Debrecen, they started developing health-protective meat products

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Among the new products, according to the plans, there will be functional, aged salami and chorizo-type dry sausages for the elderly, ham preparations for children, grilled sausages for the elderly and middle-aged, and special poultry hams for active-age and body-conscious consumers. For the almost HUF 766 million development, more than HUF 526.7 million in non-reimbursable support was awarded at the tender of the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Program (Ginop). Out of this, they are developing products that are unprecedented both on the domestic and international food markets, in addition to spending about HUF 239 million on their own effort, they emphasized. Senior scientific associate Attila Kiss, the professional leader of the project, said that in food trade and consumption, health protection and prevention are becoming increasingly important, and consumers’ interest in products with high added value has increased. The key to the long-term market success of foods with an increased positive biological effect is if the products provide actual physiological benefits, have excellent taste and can be produced with innovative, cost-effective technologies. He added: especially in the meat industry, the number of products whose actual physiological effects have been credibly and scientifically verified is very small, even though there is a strong demand for this.

The project can be considered filling a gap and unique in this area as well

The physiological benefits of the most promising new product variants will be verified with an internationally new in vitro digestion model system and human clinical testing, he said. In order to achieve increased bioavailability of the beneficial physiological components used in the new products, unique prebiotic combinations are developed using a new biotechnological process – explained the specialist. Gulyás és Társa Kft. will test and manufacture the new products under industrial conditions. Managing director and consortium leader János Gulyás told MTI: their company is a family business employing 51 employees. Their sales last year were HUF 2.5 billion, this year they expect a turnover of HUF 3 billion. According to publicly available company data, the company’s profit after tax increased from HUF 106.2 million in 2020 to over HUF 156.6 million last year.

MTI