Enhancing pork meat batter with curdlan gum-guar gum composite microgels: Impact of fat replacer on gel properties, water distribution, and sensory perception

Guohua Hou; Yi Han; Fuzhen Zhou; Yuan Li; Zhongai Zou; Longtao Zhang; Baodong Zheng

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.142706

Enhancing pork meat batter with curdlan gum-guar gum composite microgels: Impact of fat replacer on gel properties, water distribution, and sensory perception

Food Chem. 2024 Dec 29:470:142706. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.142706. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Guohua Hou¹, Yi Han¹, Fuzhen Zhou¹, Yuan Li², Zhongai Zou³, Longtao Zhang⁴, Baodong Zheng¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, PR China; China-Ireland International Cooperation Centre for Food Material Science and Structural Design, Fuzhou 350002, China.
² Research Center of Food Colloids and Delivery of Functionality, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, PR China.
³ College of Environment and Public Health, Xiamen Huaxia University, Xiamen, Fujian, PR China.
⁴ College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, PR China; China-Ireland International Cooperation Centre for Food Material Science and Structural Design, Fuzhou 350002, China; State Key Laboratory of Food Safely Technology for Meat Products, Xia Men Yin Xiang Group Co.,Ltd, Xiamen 361100, PR China. Electronic address: zlongtao@fafu.edu.cn.

PMID: 39755041
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.142706

Abstract

This work investigated the effects of curdlan gum-guar gum composite microgels (CG microgels) as a fat replacer on the gel properties, water distribution, and microstructures of pork meat batters, using techniques including rheometry, SEM, and LF-NMR. Between 55 °C and 80 °C, the addition of 30 % CG microgels enhanced the viscoelastic response of pork meat batters. Additionally, the CG microgels reduced cooking loss from 18.31 % to 15.06 % and increased the water holding capacity from 85.07 % to 86.20 %. In the low-fat group, the replacement of pork backfat with CG microgels resulted in a denser gel network structure, enhancing their texture and gel strength. This denser network also reduced flow of water, shifting from free water to more immobilized water, and contributed to improve the apparent state, color, flavor and texture of pork meat batters. This research provides valuable methodological insights for enhancing the quality of low-fat pork meat batters.

Keywords: Fat replacer; Gel property; Meat batters; Microgels; Water distribution.