The formulation of meat products has attracted increasing interest in the use of healthful ingredients.
The effect of replacing meat fat with olive oil on the properties of mortadella was studied by Jordanian researchers. The research was published in the Italian Journal of Fatty Substances.
Mortadella was produced with the addition of a normal level of meat (control sample) or low levels of meat fat with or without olive oil (0%, 3%, 5% and 8% olive oil). %) and the effects of lipid reformulation on the properties of mortadella were studied.
The results revealed that the control mortadella had the highest cholesterol content compared to the other experimental treatments.
Mortadella samples with 8% olive oil were less acceptable to the panelists.
The juiciness and softness parameters of the mortadella were not significantly different between the control and the samples with 8% and 5% olive oil.
However, they were significantly higher than lean and low-fat mortadella (0% and 3% olive oil, respectively).
Lean meat samples (with no added fat) scored lower in terms of overall acceptability.
The control sample had the highest percentage of saturated fatty acids (52%) which was higher than the samples with olive oil, however, it did not differ statistically compared to the lean meat mortadella.
The mortadella sample produced with 3% olive oil showed the highest percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids.
The results indicated that the complete replacement of animal fat in mortadella with olive oil is not possible from a sensorial point of view, but a partial replacement with low levels of olive oil (3%-5%) can be achieved successfully.
Tags: health monounsaturated fatty acids
