Quality Indicators of Snail Meat Grown in Different Conditions

Abstract

Snail meat is used daily in the human diet. Snails are used in human nutrition daily in some regions of the world. According to measurable attributes of proteins and lipids quality, snails fall into the middle category of this source of nutrients. The paper describes nutritive attributes of snail’s quality from the aspect of macro and micro nutrients. In the composition of essential amino acid leucine and lysine are dominant, and tryptophan is missing. Essential fatty acids are relatively high in snails, especially linolenic and arahidonic acid, but some polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA. Out of mineral material copper, iron and magnesium take an important place. With regard to methods of diet and residence snail meat can be loaded to certain heavy metals, residues of radioactive substances and pesticides. These are reasons to control the snails before processing in order to increase safety of the obtained product.