PD140
BAMBOO FIBER AS A TECHNOLOGICAL INGREDIENT IN MINCED MEAT PREPARATIONS: COMPARATIVE BROMATOLOGICAL LABELING ANALYSIS OF SPANISH AND INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL NUTRITION AND HOSPITAL FOOD SERVICES
V. González Abreu1, B. D. A. ROMUALDO 1,*
1UGC ENDOCRINOLOGÍA Y NUTRICIÓN, HOSPITAL REGIONAL UNIVERSITARIO DE MÁLAGA, MÁLAGA , Spain
Rationale: Bamboo fiber is increasingly used in processed meat products, yet its declaration on ingredient labels remains inconsistent. Accurate identification is important for transparency, regulatory compliance, and dietary evaluation in hospital nutrition systems.
Methods: A descriptive observational bromatological study combining regulatory review and label analysis was conducted. Two datasets were compared: Spanish minced-meat preparations (n=15) and international burger-type products marketed across Europe (n=31). Ingredient lists were analyzed to assess the presence of vegetable fiber and its botanical specification, focusing on bamboo fiber.
Results: In the Spanish dataset (n=15), vegetable fiber was present in 80% of products, although only 13% specified the botanical origin (pea fiber or bamboo fiber). In the international dataset (n=31), vegetable fiber was also frequently declared, but explicit identification as bamboo fiber appeared in 29% of products. In both datasets, most labels reported the ingredient generically as “vegetable fiber,” limiting transparency regarding formulation. When declared, bamboo fiber was associated with technological functions including water-binding capacity, structural stabilization, and texture optimization in processed meat matrices. The comparison between Spanish and international products suggests greater explicit declaration of bamboo fiber in international markets, although generic labeling remains predominant overall.
Conclusion: Bamboo fiber is a relevant but inconsistently declared technological ingredient in minced meat preparations. Improved labeling specificity would enhance transparency, traceability in institutional food services, and dietary evaluation in hospital nutrition systems.
Disclosure of Interest: None declared
