engleski

Animal products in the perception of consumers - today and tomorrow

In the present paper, the details about the consumption of animal products worldwide, in Europe and Croatia are given. It is discussed about the consumers’ perception about animal products in the light of raising concern about food-borne diseases, intoxications, GMO products, animal welfare and other issues related to animal production. On the other hand, signs of the consumers demand for more healthy and nutritious foods are stressed. At the food market of the industrialised countries, within past decade as the major trend, functional foods can be detected. Some information are given about different meats, eggs and milk that qualify as functional food. In meats and eggs the emphasize was given on the enrichment of these products with polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, selenium ; the potential of carnosine and conjugated linolenic acid (CLA) are briefly mentioned as their functional properties as a ingredients of meats are currently investigated. Diary products were also discussed in this light. Milk was described as protein vitamin and mineral rich product which has always been considered as a healthy animal product. Beside these beneficial traits, milk and milk products are also rich with CLA and they represent a great proportion of total functional foods produced today globally. As future prospects, it is foreseen that functional foods will increase their presence on market in industrialised countries. This should be seen as a great opportunity for the animal products industry but also as technological and social challenge. The producers of livestock should also be aware of these possibilities.

animal products ; consumption ; functional foods

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