AP26196803 «Study of the quality and nutritional properties of new food products from non-traditional animal and plant sources».

Horse fat is a valuable by-product of the meat industry that has not yet been fully utilized. Its rational use makes it possible to develop functional food products with an improved fatty acid composition that contribute to the prevention of chronic diseases. The project is consistent with modern trends in healthy nutrition and sustainable development, and is aimed at the efficient use of animal-derived raw materials, enhancing the competitiveness of Kazakhstan’s food industry, and expanding the range of domestically produced products.

The aim of this project is to develop culinary oils and spreads based on horse fat with an improved fatty acid composition by enriching it with rapeseed and sunflower oils when necessary.

1. Methods for extracting horse fat will be optimized. Optimized extraction methods (traditional methods and microwave extraction) will be developed, increasing the oil yield compared to the original methods.

2. The physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition of the oils will be analyzed and improved. Oil properties will be analyzed: peroxide value, acid value, refractive index, thermal and rheological properties. Oil enrichment will be carried out, increasing the content of unsaturated fatty acids by 30%.

3. Recipes and technologies for the production of culinary oils and spreads will be developed. At least three product prototypes will be created. Sensory evaluations will be conducted, achieving an average quality score of at least 8 out of 10. The shelf life and stability of the products during storage will be determined.

4. The impact of the developed products on health in experimental models will be assessed. Studies will be conducted on rats with induced chronic diseases. A reduction in levels of insulin resistance and inflammatory markers by 15% compared to the control group will be achieved.

5. Data on the impact of the products on gut microbiota will be obtained. Microbiota analyses will be conducted. A statistically significant increase in beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiota will be identified.

6. One (1) article or review will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded and included in the first (1st) quartile by impact factor in the Web of Science database and/or with a CiteScore percentile of at least 80 in the Scopus database.

7. One (1) patent for an invention or utility model (including a positive decision for it) will be obtained.

8. One (1) article or review will be published in a peer-reviewed foreign or domestic journal recommended by the Committee for Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education (CQASHE) with the category "multidisciplinary" (multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary practical application) focused on the tasks of enterprises in the real sector of Kazakhstan's economy.

9. An organizational standard will be developed in accordance with ESKD.

10. One (1) PhD candidate will be prepared and will defend their thesis within 2 years after the project's completion.