Effect of palm oil content and melting point on the freeze-thaw stability of fat substitutes

• Published in: Food science & technology 2023-10, Vol.188, p.115452, Article 115452
• Main Authors: Zhao, Di, Liu, Shuqi, Li, He, Yoong, Jun Hao, Miao, Zhiyue, Cao, Jinnuo, Liu, Xinqi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Emulsion gels; Fat substitutes; Freeze-thaw cycles; Freeze-thaw stability; Oil melting point
• ISSN: 0023-6438; 1096-1127
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2023.115452

Animal or plant-based meat products are typically stored and transported using freezing. Freezing-thawing cycles can lead to detrimental changes in the texture, appearance, and mouthfeel of fat substitutes, thus affecting their quality. In this work, a protein/polysaccharide composite emulsion gel was created by emulsifying soybean isolate protein (SPI) and palm oil (PO), and incorporating curdlan (CL). It can serve as a potential replacement for animal fat in meat products, such as sausage, and plant-based meat. The study aimed to investigate the stability of the complex fat substitutes during freeze-thaw at various melting points and palm oil content. The results showed that the 52°C-palm oil samples were the most freeze-thaw stable compared to samples with other melting points. 52°C-palm oil samples were tested for texture and water holding capacity (WHC), increasing the oil content from 5g/100g–20g/100g improved the gel strength and WHC after freeze-thaw. The samples containing high melting point palm oil were less affected by temperature changes and showed higher stability as detected by low-field NMR and differential calorimetric scanning. The confocal laser scanning and rheological detection further confirmed the enhanced structural strength and freeze-thaw stability of the emulsion gels containing solid fat particles with high melting points. •Freeze-thaw treatment causes fat substitutes to syneresis and lose oil, creating folds and pores.•Increased content of low melting point oil will destroy the structure of emulsion gel.•High melting point oil will improve the strength and water holding capacity of the emulsion gel.•High melting point palm oil improves freeze-thaw stability of fat substitutes.