Konjac-based oil bulking system for development of improved-lipid pork patties: technological, microbiological and sensory assessment

Quality, Thermo-Rheology, and Microstructure Characteristics of Cubic Fat Substituted Pork Patties with Composite Emulsion Gel Composed of Konjac Glucomannan and Soy Protein Isolate

Composite emulsion gel can effectively mimic animal adipose tissue. In this study, composite emulsion gels composed of soy protein isolates and konjac glucomannan (KGM) were prepared as plant-based cubic fat substitutes (CFS). The effects of CFS on the quality and structure of pork patties were investigated in terms of the proximate composition, lipid oxidation stability, technological characteristics, color, sensory attributes, texture, thermo-rheological behavior, and microstructure. CFS samples composed of various ratios of KGM were added to lean meat patties to ascertain the optimal CFS composition for its potential replacement of pork back fat in patties. The addition of CFS containing 7.0% KGM was found to decrease the hardness of the lean meat patties by 71.98% while simultaneously improving their sensory quality. The replacement of pork back fat with CFS also reduced the fat content of the patties to as little as 3.65%. Furthermore, the addition of CFS enhanced the technological characteristics, lipid oxidation stability, and surface color of the fat-replaced patties, with no significant impact on their overall acceptability. The gel network of the patties was shown to be fine and remained compact as the fat replacement ratio increased to 75%, while the texture parameters, storage modulus, and fractal dimension all increased. Quality and structure improvements may allow the composite emulsion gels to replace fat in pork patties to support a healthy diet. This study may be beneficial for the application and development of plant-based cubic fat substitutes.

Future trends of processed meat products concerning perceived healthiness: A review

The 21st-century consumer is highly demanding when it comes to the health benefits of food and food products. In the pursuit of attracting these consumers and easing the rise in demand for high-quality meat products, the processed meat sector is intensely focused on developing reformulated, low-fat, healthy meat products. Meat and meat products are considered the primary sources of saturated fatty acids in the human diet. Therefore, these reformulation strategies aim to improve the fatty acid profile and reduce total fat and cholesterol, which can be achieved by replacing animal fat with plant-based oils; it could be performed as direct inclusion of these oils or pre-emulsified oils. However, emulsions offer a viable option for incorporating vegetable oils while avoiding the multiple issues of direct inclusion of these oils in meat products. Processed meat products are popular worldwide and showing a gradually increasing trend of consumption. Various types of plant-based oils have been studied as fat replacers in meat products. This review will focus on possible methods to reduce the saturated fatty acid content in meat products.

Functional Meat Products as Oxidative Stress Modulators: A Review

High meat consumption has been associated with increased oxidative stress mainly due to the generation of oxidized compounds in the body, such as malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxy-nonenal, oxysterols, or protein carbonyls, which can induce oxidative damage. Meat products are excellent matrices for introducing different bioactive compounds, to obtain functional meat products aimed at minimizing the pro-oxidant effects associated with high meat consumption. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the concept and preparation of healthy and functional meat, which could benefit antioxidant status. Likewise, the key strategies regarding meat production and storage as well as ingredients used (e.g., minerals, polyphenols, fatty acids, walnuts) for developing these functional meats are detailed. Although most effort has been made to reduce the oxidation status of meat, newly emerging approaches also aim to improve the oxidation status of consumers of meat products. Thus, we will delve into the relation between functional meats and their health effects on consumers. In this review, animal trials and intervention studies are discussed, ascertaining the extent of functional meat products' properties (e.g., neutralizing reactive oxygen species formation and increasing the antioxidant response). The effects of functional meat products in the frame of diet-gene interactions are analyzed to 1) discover target subjects that would benefit from their consumption, and 2) understand the molecular mechanisms that ensure precision in the prevention and treatment of diseases, where high oxidative stress takes place. Long-term intervention-controlled studies, testing different types and amounts of functional meat, are also necessary to ascertain their positive impact on degenerative diseases.

Impact of Culinary Procedures on Nutritional and Technological Properties of Reduced-Fat Longanizas Formulated with Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) or Oat (Avena sativa L.) Emulsion Gel

This paper evaluates how grilling, a traditional culinary procedure for fresh meat products, affects the composition and technological properties of healthy longanizas formulated with chia (Salvia hispanica L.) (C-RF) and oat (Avena sativa L.) (O-RF) emulsion gels (EGs) as animal fat replacers. The use of EGs, regardless of whether they contain chia or oat, improved longaniza performance during cooking as they lost less (p < 0.05) water and fat. The composition of cooked sausages was affected by their formulation, particularly those with chia EG (C-RF) which featured the highest polyunsaturated fatty acid content, mainly due to the higher level of α-linolenic fatty acid (1.09 g/100 g of product). Chia and oat EGs in C-RF and O-RF allow longanizas to be labeled with nutritional and health claims under European law. In general, this culinary procedure increases (p < 0.05) the lightness, lipid oxidation and texture parameters of all samples.

Fabrication of emulsion gel based on polymer sanxan and its potential as a sustained-release delivery system for β-carotene

Food-grade emulsion gels have attracted increasing attention in food and drug manufacturing, owing to their potential as novel delivery systems for lipophilic bioactive ingredients. Emulsion gels are structurally either a polymeric gel matrix with incorporated emulsion droplets (emulsion-filled gels), or a network of aggregated emulsion droplets (emulsion particulate gels). In this study, a novel emulsion gel was prepared by formulating an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion stabilized by sanxan alone, followed by heating and cooling treatment, resulting in a structured solid system. Stable O/W type sanxan emulsion gels (SEGs) were obtained at sanxan concentration >0.5% (w/w). Fluorescence microscopy results confirmed the adsorption of sanxan on oil droplet surfaces. The effect of temperature and sanxan/oil concentrations on the rheological and textural properties of the SEGs was evaluated: the SEG containing 1% (w/w) sanxan and 20% (w/w) sunflower oil exhibited excellent rheological and textural properties. Further, the addition of 10 mM Na⁺ or 5 mM Ca²⁺ greatly enhanced the thermostability of the SEG. The potential of SEGs as sustained-release delivery systems for β-carotene was also explored. The findings are of great interest for the development of novel delivery systems based on emulsion gels stabilized by sanxan for the sustained release of lipophilic components.

Influence of partial pork meat replacement by pulse flour on physicochemical and sensory characteristics of low-fat burgers

BACKGROUND

Numerous non-meat ingredients, such as hydrocolloids, starches, and fibers, have been studied to improve texture characteristics and increase the ability to bind water in low-fat meat products. In this sense, pulses flours (lentil, chickpea, pea, and bean) were studied at two levels and various water:flour ratios to replace 10-44% pork meat in low-fat burgers and determine the effect on their sensory and technological properties (cooking yield, expressible liquid, diameter reduction, and color and texture profile).

RESULTS

All pork-meat burgers that included pulse flour showed higher cooking yields, lower diameter reductions, and expressible liquids than all-meat burgers, which displayed better oil and water retention. Higher water additions resulted in burgers with less hardness. Burgers with 80 g kg^-1 lentil flour in all water/flour ratios presented the lowest total color difference (ΔE) compared with the commercial control. Burgers with the higher level of all pulse flour tested and medium water levels showed acceptable sensory scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Partial pork meat replacement by different legume flour (lentil, chickpea, pea, and bean), at levels of 80 and 150 g kg^-1 and water/flour ratios of 1250, 1600, and 2000 g kg^-1 resulted in low-fat burgers with adequate physicochemical characteristics. Moreover, the sensorial evaluation of the formulations with the maximum flour addition and intermediate water/flour ratio showed that they had good sensorial acceptability with no effect of flour type. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of three kinds of natural preservative cocktails on vacuum-packed chilled pork

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three different natural preservatives on the microbial profile, the total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), and biogenic amine contents of vacuum-packed chilled pork during storage at 4°C. Solution A comprised of tea polyphenols, chitosan, spice extract, propolis, and nisin. Solution B comprised of clove extract, cassia bark extract, ginger juice, garlic juice, and lactobacillus fermentation solution. Solution C consisted of only lactobacillus fermentation solution. The results indicated that solution A was a good natural preservative with higher bacteria inhibitory effect and higher sensory score than B and C. Besides the effect on appealing color, solution B could inhibit microbial activity although its inhibition effect was not as good as solution A. Thus, solution A could be used as a good preservative in industry. Solution C could inhibit the initial growth of Pseudomonas and partially inhibited the growth of Enterobacteriaceae; however, the content of putrescine in the pork treated with solution C was as high as 30.14 ± 2.89 mg/kg after 21 days of storage at 4°C. Hence, solution C is not an ideal preservative for vacuum-packed chilled pork.

Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Effects of Catechin Liposomes on Chinese Dried Pork

In this study, catechin (CT), catechin liposome (CTL), and α-tocopherol (TP) were added to Chinese dried pork to achieve a healthy lipid composition. Their effectiveness in prevention of lipid oxidation was determined by measuring the values of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and peroxides. The total viable count in samples was used to identify the antimicrobial activities of CT, CTL, and TP, and the pH values of the samples were determined. Chinese dried pork with antioxidants added at 600 mg/kg was subjected to sensory evaluation. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance values, peroxide values, and total viable counts indicated that CTL significantly enhanced the antioxidant and antibacterial effects of CT on Chinese dried pork, especially after storage at room temperature for 25 days. Compared with the two other antioxidants, CTL could better maintain the pH stability of Chinese dried pork at room temperature. Sensory evaluation revealed that the scores of CTL were better than those of CT and TP in terms of preserving the color, flavor, tenderness, and overall acceptability of Chinese dried pork. Use of CTL in Chinese dried pork had good antioxidant and antibacterial effects and maintained color, flavor, and tenderness at a relatively stable level, suggesting that CTL could be used as an antioxidant in Chinese dried pork to enhance oxidative stability and prolong shelf life.

Gelled double emulsions as delivery systems for hydroxytyrosol and n-3 fatty acids in healthy pork patties

Structuring of double emulsion offers the possibility to obtain a system with similar consistency to animal fat which is an interesting approach to improve the fat content of meat products. This article examines the suitability of gelled double emulsions (GDE) for use as a delivery system for n-3 PUFAs and hydroxytyrosol (Hxt) in pork patties. Effect of partial (MF/GDE sample) and total (LF/GDE) replacement of pork backfat with GDE with perilla oil (PO) as lipid phase and Hxt (in W1) on pork patty composition and properties was evaluated. Compared with the control sample (NF/CS), the products with PO contained less SFAs and higher proportions of LNA and ALA, and this difference augmented with the level of GDE. Addition of GDE increased Kramer shear force of cooked patties as the higher percentage of fat replaced was used. Oxidative stability of patties can be interpreted in terms of composition and structural factors, especially in relation with the use of GDE as a fat replacer. Products showed oxidation values greater than 1 after 3 days of refrigeration. NF/GDE and MF/GDE, with similar scores, were the most acceptable for the panellists. This technology is suitable for labelling meat products with nutritional and health claims.

The effect of low-fat beef patties formulated with a low-energy fat analogue enriched in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on lipid oxidation and sensory attributes

A new low-energy gelled emulsion containing algae oil was developed as animal fat replacer. Its stability was evaluated under different storage conditions: 4V (4°C/vacuum), 4NV (4°C/no vacuum), 25V (25°C/vacuum) and 25NV (25°C/no vacuum). According to moisture, hardness, color and lipid oxidation data, 4°C under vacuum (4V) was selected as the best condition. Once the gelled emulsion was characterized, its effectiveness as fat analogue was demonstrated in beef patties. Reformulated patties were produced with 100% of animal fat replacement and compared to conventional patties (9%fat). A 70%fat reduction was achieved in the new patties, mainly due to a reduction in the saturated fatty acids. Also, decreased n-6 (76%lower content) and increased eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (55%higher content) were noticed in the new formulation. The incorporation of the gelled emulsion containing reduced amount of n-6 fatty acids and increased amounts of long chain n-3 fatty acids (EPA+DHA) reduced the oxidation status of the patties and their sensory evaluation resulted in acceptable scores.

Edible oil structuring: an overview and recent updates

In recent years, research dealing with edible oil structuring has received considerable interest from scientific community working in the area of food formulation. Much of this interest is linked to the possibility of using structured oil in development of newer product formats with improved nutritional profile (trans fat-free, low in saturated fats and high in mono and/or poly unsaturated fatty acids). In addition to the obvious industrial need of finding the alternative formulation approach, the interesting properties of structured systems (particularly, oleogels) also makes them a fascinating subject for fundamental studies. In this paper, we attempt to give a comprehensive and concise overview of the field of oil structuring with special emphasis on the updates from recent years. Specifically, several categories of food-grade oleogelators and their potential food applications are summarized with typical examples along with a discussion on the general principles and unresolved challenges related to this emerging area.