o:5218 Micro- and Macroalgae in Meat Products en Technology in the meat industry is advancing to create healthier and more sustainable food. Incorporating micro- and macroalgae into meat products presents an exciting possibility for the meat sector to develop functional food, given that they serve as excellent natural sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds. This review aims to systematically outline the impact of incorporating whole algae and their extracts into various meat products, examining their effects on quality, physicochemical and functional properties, sensory characteristics, and potential for enhancing shelf life. Adding algae to meat products generally increased pH values, with variations influenced by concentration, type, initial pH, and storage time. The protein content was mainly unaffected, except for Nori and Chlorella. Algae contributed to lower moisture and higher ash content due to dietary fiber. While including algae improved water-holding capacity and decreased cooking loss, it often led to increased hardness and chewiness. Algae and their extracts influenced color attributes, with variations based on the algae type. Sensory properties were distinctively affected, generally reducing overall acceptability, although Sea tangle at concentrations of 1–3% showed acceptable scores. Chlorella and Sea tangle positively impacted microbiology during refrigerated storage, while algae and their extracts demonstrated strong antioxidant activity. Chlorella; Spirulina; Wakame; Sea spaghetti; Sea tangle; Nori; sausages; frankfurters; Patties 1552099 10.3390/foods13060826 2024-08-09T08:57:28.309Z 44 yes 46 Caba Siladji Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Micro- and Macroalgae in Meat Products https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1933-3849 Vesna Djordjevic Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Micro- and Macroalgae in Meat Products person https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5187-4089 jelena Babić-Milijašević Institute of meat hygiene and technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Micro- and Macroalgae in Meat Products person https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8923-7046 Volker Heinz DIL German Institute of Food Technologies, Prof.-v.-Klitzing-Str. 7, 49610 Quakenbrueck, Germany Micro- and Macroalgae in Meat Products person Nino Terjung DIL German Institute of Food Technologies, Prof.-v.-Klitzing-Str. 7, 49610 Quakenbrueck, Germany Micro- and Macroalgae in Meat Products person Weizheng Sun School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China Micro- and Macroalgae in Meat Products person Igor Tomašević Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia Micro- and Macroalgae in Meat Products person 2024-03-07 application/pdf 687061 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:5218 no yes 16 70 92000002 2024-03-06 71A01 Foods 826 13 Foods MDPI 2024-03-07