Assessment of a healthy oil combination structured in ethyl cellulose and beeswax oleogels as animal fat replacers in low-fat, PUFA-enriched pork burgers

The present work evaluates the suitability of ethyl cellulose and beeswax oleogels prepared with a healthy lipid mixture (olive, linseed, and fish oils) as fat replacers for fresh meat product development. The texture, color, thermal properties, and fatty acid composition of the oleogels indicated their suitability for the intended use, and they were stable for at least 1 month of chilled storage (3 ± 1 °C). However, the oleogels suffered some lipid oxidation during refrigerated storage, especially in the case of ethyl cellulose. Low-fat pork burgers formulated with total substitution of pork backfat by the oleogels developed were softer and without important changes in optical properties, as compared to the control. Although some lipid oxidation was observed, especially when ethyl cellulose oleogel was used, the fatty acid profile of the reformulated burgers was significantly improved, with a 3.6-fold increase of the PUFA/SFA ratio and a 23-fold decrease of the n-6/n-3 ratio, as compared to the control. A sensory acceptability test showed high ratings for the burgers made with beeswax oleogel, in contrast to the ones made with ethyl cellulose, which scored values below the neutral point. Results from this work indicate the potential of the ingredients developed for the formulation of healthier fresh meat products with an improved fatty acid profile, and the need for research on strategies to improve oxidative stability and sensory properties.