Benders'dictionary of nutrition and food technology

302meat speciation Identification of species of animal from whichthe meat originated.meat sugar Obsolete name for inositol.meat, water binding capacity (WBC) The capacity of a piece ofmeat to retain added water during cutting, pressing or heating.See also meat, water holding capacity.meat, water holding capacity (WHC) The capacity of a piece ofmeat to retain its own water content during cutting, pressing orheating.See also meat, water binding capacity.medical foods Legal definition (in the USA) of foods formulatedfor dietary treatment of a disease, to be administered enterally(i.e. by mouth or by naso-gastric tube, as opposed to parenteralnutrition), under supervision of a physician; sometimes known asenteral foods.medicinal paraffin Liquid paraffin, a mineral oil of no nutritivevalue since it is not affected by digestive enzymes and passesthrough the intestine unchanged. Used as a laxative because ofits lubricant properties. Formerly used to coat dried fruit.medium chain triglycerides triglycerides containing mediumchain(8–10 carbon) fatty acids used in treatment of malabsorption;they are absorbed more rapidly than conventional fats,and the products of their digestion are transported to the liver,rather than in chylomicrons.medlar The fruit of Mespilus germanica. Can be eaten fresh fromtree in Mediterranean areas but in colder climates, as the UK,does not become palatable until it is half rotten (bletted).Japanese medlar is the loquat.Meeh formula See body surface area.megaloblast Abnormal form of any of the cells that are precursorsof red blood cells; they occur in bone marrow in anaemiadue to deficiency of folic acid or vitamin b 12 .megavitamin therapy Treatment of diseases with very high dosesof vitamins, several hundred-fold higher than reference intakes.Little or no evidence of efficacy; vitamins a, d, b 6 and niacin areknown to be toxic at high levels of intake.megrim flatfish, the British smooth sole or scaldfish, Psettaarnoglossa.mejing See monosodium glutamate.mekabu Japanese; lobe leaf seaweed, normally dried.melaena Tarry black faeces due to partly digested blood as aresult of bleeding into the gut.melalgia, nutritional See burning foot syndrome.melampyrin See dulcitol.