Thermal processing of edible snail meat (Cornu aspersum) powders: Impact on lipid stability, aroma profile and protein bioavailability

Cornu aspersum snails are considered a delicacy in different parts of the world. Snail meat powders have been proposed as a promising alternative protein source. Given that meat products are usually thermally treated prior to consumption, this study aims to assess the effects of thermal processing (100 o C / 180 o C for 30 min) on snail meat powder (SM) and snail meat powder without the mucus (SMWM). Thermal treatment enhanced the radical scavenging ability, mainly of SM, likely due to the antioxidant effect of the mucus and the formation of Maillard reaction products, induced by the presence of glycoproteins of mucin. The processing also influenced the lipid composition and volatile profile, leading to the formation of a wide range of aldehydes and ketones. Furthermore, the protein secondary structure was altered, with the contribution of β-sheet structure decreasing and that of the random coil increasing. This was closely related to protein digestibility and solubility, with the thermal treatment at 180 o C resulting in significant changes, with the most profound occurring after mucus removal. Overall, despite their low-fat content, snail meat powders are susceptible to heat-induced lipid oxidation phenomena. • Thermal treatment affected edible snail meat powders’ properties • Untreated snail meat powders with or without mucus present similar aroma • Treatment at 180 o C affected oxidation stability and increased volatile aldehydes • Thermal treatment decreased β -sheet protein conformation % contribution • Thermal treatment reduced protein solubility and digestibility of the samples