Structural and textural properties of a novel animal fat-trimming analog based on salted butter and alginate

The market for meat analogs has been blooming in the recent decade, but fat analogs slowly releasing lipids during cooking have received less attention. A fat-trimming analog based on sodium alginate (Alg) and salted butter (SB) was developed. The influence of salted butter content on the physicochemical properties of the pre-emulsion and the gelled emulsion was studied. The analog was prepared by homogenizing an Alg dispersion and melted SB, followed by calcium-induced gelation. Rheology showed that pre-gelled emulsions exhibit shear-thinning behavior, and their viscosities, measured at low-shear rates increased, with SB content. After gelation, samples were heat stable and slowly released lipids when heated. Confocal microscopy showed a typical oil-in-water emulsion structure, with lipid droplets flocculated at higher SB content. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) tests, respectively revealed no changes in lipid melting/crystallization or in functional groups, indicating unaltered lipids properties due to their physical entrapment in the gelled polysaccharide matrix. Texture profile analysis (TPA) showed decreased cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness with increased SB content, whereas hardness was first reduced and then increased at 80 g/100g SB content. The approach used could be a potential solution for producing fat-trimming analogs with improved texture and heat stability.