Francisco J.
Sánchez-Muniz

Francisco J. Sánchez-Muniz

Francisco J. Sánchez-Muniz

Spain - Madrid

Biography

Francisco José Sánchez Muniz, is an emeritus professor of Nutrition at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Complutense University (UCM). Five decades as a professor at the Complutense University, with the exception of a year and a half in Wageningen (Holland) during his postdoctoral stay (1987-1988) and another year in Boston (USA) (2000-2001), working on interaction of nutrients with genes under the direction of Professor Ordovás.

Director of 30 Ph Thesis and more than 60 Masters and Degree memories studies.

It has 7 six-year periods of research valued positively by ANECA. He is the author of more than 500 articles on nutrition and physiology; 250 peer-review indexed publications. He is considered among the 500 most influential scientists in the Nutrition Area.

World championship 2019 in Alzheimer's Disease and Fellow at Directorate of Alzheimer's Disease.

He is a Full Member of the Royal National Academy of Pharmacy; Corresponding Academic of the Royal Academy of Medicine and Surgery of Valladolid and Corresponding Academic of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Mexico.

He is responsible for the Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health research group at the Complutense University of Madrid and the AFUSAN group (Functional Food, Health and Nutrition), at the San Carlos Clinical Hospital in Madrid, maintaining connections with the University of Alcalá, and with the Institute of Food and Nutrition Science and Technology (ICTAN) of the Spanish CSIC.

His current research focuses on the search for early markers of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, and the benefits of consuming virgin olive oil and the Mediterranean diet. It also studies the role of functional foods, in particular healthier meats containing different functional ingredients in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome, type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and fatty liver.

Affiliations

-AFUSAN group, Nutrition and Food Science Department.
-Pharmacy School. Complutense University.
-Sanitary Research Institute of the San Carlos Clinical Hospital (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain

Abstract

Meat and meat product as essential compounds of our meals. Functional and healthy meat products.

Meat and meat product as essential compounds of our meals. Functional and healthy meat products. An alternative to current meat consumption recommendations

Meat and meat product as essential compounds of our meals. Meat and meat products have always played an important role in man's eating habits, do not limited exclusively to the nutritional field but also to the social and cultural spheres. Although in some social groups its consumption is limited by religious beliefs or ethical issues, in general meat is a prestigious food, appreciated and associated with good health and prosperity. It must also be considered that its intake represents a very important contribution of nutrients (proteins, fat, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, thiamine, etc.). However, the excessive intake of meat and meat products has been related with increased morbi-mortality incidence of chronic diseases, particularly with cardiovascular diseases and various types of cancer. This association is based in the presence of different compounds (e.g., nitrites, nitrates, nitrosamines) that are normally present in in those foods, especially in modified meat products, or those that are suggested to high temperature culinary procedures (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) that present potential negative health effects when consumed at high amounts.  Nonetheless, although risk and alarm exist, most results are derived from observational studies where the cause-effect relationship found did not fit the criteria demanded by Hill for epidemiological studies. In addition, most meat consumers do not fit recommendations for vegetables and fruits.

Present recommendations for meat and meat products consumption range between 36 and 71g/day. These recommendations are difficult to be followed by many people accustom to eat large amounts of meat/meat products. Thus, one alternative suggests to eat healthier meats (e.g., with low amount of saturated fatty acids) or functional meats that contain bioactive compounds, both in the frame mark of adequate diets. Our group has been researching on functional meats for more than two decades. New meat products (restructured meat sausages, pates) have been designed and studied in animal models and human volunteers.  Meat added with walnuts, algae, glucomannan, spirulina, omega 3, silicon, chia oil, carob extracts has been tested for effects on cardiovascular disease, fatty liver and type 2 Diabetes, with relevant and promising results.

In conclusion, meat should not be demonized. Consumption of healthier meats is recommended in moderate amount and in the frame of adequate diets (e.g., together with vegetable products), managing the option of consume functional meats.