3. INTERNATIONAL SELÇUK SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH CONGRESS
EVALUATION OF HATAY CUISINE IN TERMS OF FUNCTIONAL NUTRITION
Functional foods are foods that contribute positively to human health and provide various health benefits in addition to their basic nutritional properties. These foods may be natural nutrients, or they may be enriched with certain nutrients or genetically modified. In the structure of functional foods; They contain bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, phenolic compounds, glucosinolates, lignans, organosulfur compounds and plant sterols, and functional food ingredients such as probiotic microorganisms and prebiotic substances. Many studies have demonstrated the positive effects of a nutritional habit diversified with functional foods containing these bioactive components in protecting against various chronic diseases and thus on human health. Turkish cuisine, which has a rich variety, is among the world's leading cuisines with its delicious dishes that frequently use functional foods. The historical, geographical and cultural diversity of Turkish cuisine reveals itself with different dishes and nutritional items in every region. Turkish cuisine traditionally offers functional dishes using fresh vegetables and fruits rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, fermented products containing probiotic bacteria and thus supporting digestive health, spices with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties such as thyme, and many other healthy and nutritious foods. . Hatay province also stands out in Turkish Cuisine and received the title of Gastronomy City of 2017 with its geographical location, the Mediterranean climate effective in the region, and its cuisine shaped under the influence of the different cultures and civilizations it has hosted throughout history. In this study, the nutritionally rich dishes in Hatay Cuisine and some foods used in the preparation of these dishes, such as bulgur, yoghurt, cheese, pomegranate, zahter, olive oil, meat, tomato and eggplant, were examined in terms of their functional properties.