Abstract
Modern food industry trends are aimed at increasing the nutritional value of products, enhancing their functional properties, and optimizing production efficiency. One promising direction is the inclusion of plant-based ingredients in meat product formulations. This article explores the development of a safe and cost-effective technology for meat products through the use of composite additives based on legumes (pea, soybean, lentil) and vegetables (carrot, beetroot, pumpkin). The aim of the research was to create meat products with enhanced nutritional and biological value by incorporating functional composite mixtures of plant origin. The main objectives included selecting the optimal composition of such blends and evaluating their impact on the physicochemical, structural-mechanical, and organoleptic properties of meat systems. The scientific and practical significance of the study lies in the development of ecologically clean, nutritionally enriched food products that meet modern safety and quality standards. The methodology involved laboratory modeling of recipes with varying plant-based additives and comprehensive evaluation of the resulting samples in terms of sensory, technological, and hygienic parameters. The experimental results demonstrated that incorporating composite blends significantly improved the nutritional value of meat products by enriching them with plant proteins, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The addition of vegetable ingredients enhanced the appearance, taste, and color of the products without the need for artificial additives. Improvements in texture and shelf life were also observed. This study contributes to the advancement of functional meat product technologies. Its practical relevance lies in the potential industrial application of the developed formulations with minimal cost and maximum benefit to the consumer.