“Reptile meats are lean and the fat content they have is healthy; They have the same or greater amount of protein than the meats we usually consume. The fat of reptiles has a high content of fatty acids that are essential for our health, such as the highly recommended polyunsaturated fatty acids,” the Animal Ecology Laboratory of the Cicyttp of Conicet Diamante describes some of the attributes found in the research they carry out with the alligator, long and boa species.
“Scientists have been developing a line of research for some time that aims to develop knowledge and procedures for eating reptile meat.”as a food alternative”. The team is led by Melina Simoncini, and made up of Carlos Piña, Pamela Leiva, Sofía Pierini, Micaela Mazaratti, Florencia Valli en Diamante, along with Marcela González from the Faculty of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences (FBCB) of the National University of the Litoral (UNL ) and Facundo Cuffia from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering (UNL) and the Institute of Food Technology (ITA).
“Reptile meat comes from management programs, with the objective of conserving and sustainably using these species.”, the origin of the supply was clarified, since the approach aims to use what is discarded.
Reptile meat tastings in Diamante
After the first advances, the investigations moved to a phase of surveys or surveys and tastings. “We had very good results. People liked the alligator, boa and iguana meat. Above all, that of boa and alligator with respect to the lizard. We compare it with chicken, pork and rabbit, and there is an acceptance and preference for these meats“said Simoncini. “Now we are evaluating on a pilot scale what the possible routes of trade would be like, ensuring the health of the meat in order to later, later, see the routes of commercialization and use,” he said.
The researcher commented that the team is “at a stage where We already know meats, because we already know all the characteristics they have, both physical, chemical and microbiological, and that they are suitable for consumption.. We know that people like meat. The proposal in the tastings shows that people are interested. And now we are seeing pilot tests, trials to see the possible ways of collection, distribution and marketing. “We are in this instance,” he explained.
Regarding the origin of the inputs, the scientist explained that the alligator meat is taken from breeding programs and for the boa “management for leather production, which at this time is not being used for meat. With the Senasa authorizations that we want to obtain, the meat that is currently discarded could be used. In the case of meat Salvator merianae iguana or monkey lizard, there are management programs in Argentina that could provide several kilos if required and with the corresponding authorizations.”
Specific, For the boa, it has been recorded that the production of hides generates “more than 10 tons of meat. It is an estimate, since not all of it could be used, but we are talking about about 10,000 kilos of meat per year. We are not worried that the production will be enormous, far from it, but the idea that it is could be an alternative. It is not the idea to compete with chicken or beef. But it can be a dietary supplement that is extremely complete in terms of characteristics and quality,” he noted.
Fountain: Coastal Report
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