Of course we are not talking about human blood, it is animal blood! Despite being a controversial subject, carnivores eat meat and its derivatives, so why not to think of new products with blood?
Morcela (blood sausage)
Blood sausage, sarapatel, barbecue barely past the flesh bleeding … if we think, it has been a long time that several cultures of the world consume blood in their plates, but thinking of new products with blood as an ingredient, industrialized, still causes strangeness and even repulsion.
Brown sauce chicken
Blood is a source of protein and nutrients, yet it’s still an ingredient discarded in fridges. It is estimated that only 30% of blood obtained at slaughter is used by industry. Disposal causes environmental pollution problems and, when done correctly, represents a high cost to the company that could be converted into another source of income if collected and processed correctly.
There are papain enzyme treatments followed by bleaching to recover only the colorless fraction of the blood, but overall it remains underused due to consumer rejection.
The blood can be used both in the meat industry and in other industries, it serves as a binding agent, color enhancer, emulsifier and curing agent in meats. And also as egg substitute, protein and iron food supplement and bioactive compounds source.
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Blood ice cream – Nordic Food Lab
In Brazil there are no laws that allow or prohibit the use of blood in the kitchen, but its origin must be proven and can not be transported. That is, if the restaurant is installed in an industrial area and operates inside a refrigerator it can serve dishes like chicken with brown sauce, for example, since the blood will not be transported.
Bovine blood powder – Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia
In Sweden, the research institute Nordic Food Lab has developed products with blood instead of eggs. Egg allergy is one of the most common types of allergy in children in Europe. As part of the project they have created versions of ice cream, meringue, mousse, pancake and bun with swine blood.
Meringue – Nordic Food Lab
There is still a lot of room for innovation in this area both in the technologies of hygienic collection, separation of fractions, conservation and development of new products. We need laws to legalize and ensure the quality and safety of new blood products as an ingredient. It may not be attractive at first glance, but it is nutritious and sustainable, we have to think about it!
Chocolate meringue – Nordic Food Lab
References: UOL, Food Navigator, PRNewswire, Wonder How To, Study: The Use of Blood and Derived Products as Food Additives, Sangue Bovino em Pó – Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia
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