Health-protecting products are being developed by the Zalaegerszeg Meat Factory Ltd. and Széchenyi University

The consortium of the company and the university won a grant of approximately 406.6 million forints from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund for the joint project, which aims to reduce the environmental footprint, energy and water consumption, and waste generation of meat industry production through the transformation of by-products through a new product line.

The development aims to sustainably produce unique, functional meat products through the recycling of the resulting by-products based on innovative technology. The bioavailability of physiologically relevant ingredients is enhanced by the use of substances that improve metabolism and promote absorption, and enzymatic “pre-digestion“.

The new meat products contain unique ingredients, including antioxidants, prebiotics that inhibit pathogenic bacteria and support the utilization of nutrients, and enzymes. The unique prebiotic combinations are developed through state-of-the-art biotechnology experiments.

New functional meat products include reduced-fat products for children, enriched with protein, calcium, magnesium and trace elements, as well as fiber and unique prebiotics. An aspic meat product with outstanding antioxidant activity and containing unique herb extracts and active ingredient combinations, and a version of this product that facilitates digestion is also being developed.

Future products include a fish product that contains a unique prebiotic combination created using a new biotechnology process, and in addition to probiotics, other immune-boosting substances are also used. They will produce fish and poultry cream pâtés containing digestive enzymes, hydrolyzed protein and fiber, as well as meat stew enriched with pre- and probiotics, vitamin D, which has metabolism-improving and immune system-supporting properties – the announcement reads.

According to its website, Húsüzem Kft. was founded by Hungarian owners in 1999 in Zalaegerszeg, where they built their slicing and packaging plant in 2008. They currently employ 80 people. They sell their products, mostly purchased from the domestic market and made mostly from poultry, mainly to Hungarian retail chains.

According to public company data, in the most recent closed year, 2024, the company achieved sales revenue of almost 1.161 billion forints, compared to 1.077 billion in 2023. Its after-tax profit in 2024 was 21.5 million forints, compared to 18.5 million forints in 2023.