In Vitro Digestibility and Quality of an Emulsified Meat Product Formulated With Animal Fat Encapsulated With Pectin

Animal fat plays a key role in the structure, quality, and acceptability of emulsified meat products. However, a high consumption of saturated fat has been related to several health problems. Fat encapsulation with a nondigestible carbohydrate, such as pectin, may offer a promising alternative to reduce fat intake from a meat product, by preventing its digestion and absorption. The objective of this study was to develop a meat sausage with pectin-encapsulated-fat (PEF) to decrease its lipid digestibility, without compromising its acceptability. Pork fat particles encapsulation by emulsification with a 4% pectin solution, and also stability during meat processing and cooking, was confirmed by confocal microscopy. No changes (P > 0.05) compared to Control (C) were found on thermal stability and composition of sausages formulated with direct addition of pectin (T1) and with incorporation of PEF (T2). However, in comparison with C, pH, color, and texture of T1 and T2 samples were affected (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, these changes had no influence (P > 0.05) on sensory acceptability of treated samples, and actually improved (P < 0.05) their texture acceptance. In vitro digestive degradation of triacylglycerols was decreased (P < 0.05) by 20% on T2 samples compared to control and it was superior (P < 0.05) to T1 (8%). Confocal images confirmed lipid digestibility reduction of T2 samples. Incorporation of PEF in a meat sausage offers a better protection against the hydrolytic action of lipases over triaclyglycerides, than a direct addition of pectin, without affecting its sensory acceptability. Therefore, it can be a potential strategy to reduce fat intake from meat products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Reduction or replacement strategies tested to modify or decrease fat content in meat products usually leads to nondesirable sensory attributes. However, decreasing lipid digestibility by encapsulating animal fat with nondigestible pectin offers a new approach to reduce fat intake from full-animal-fat meat products, without affecting their sensory acceptability.