Physicochemical, Nutritional, and Stability Aspects of a Meat Product (gluteus medius) Enriched with Encapsulated Fish Oil in Polyelectrolyte Beads Containing Prosopis alba Exudate Gum

This work explores the physicochemical, nutritional, and stability aspects of a meat product enriched with fish oil encapsulated in polyelectrolyte beads. Particularly, a non-conventional exudate gum obtained from Prosopis alba tree (G) was assessed as wall component of alginate-chitosan beads. Patty-type products based on beef (gluteus medius) and pork back fat (P) were nutritionally improved by adding free fish oil (P+FO), fish oil encapsulated in alginate-chitosan (P+ACh), or alginate-gum-chitosan (P+AChG) beads. In enriched raw products, the EPA+DHA content was increased 13 folds, and the n3/n6 ratio was 45-55% higher than control. During cooking, the encapsulates increased the oil retention (91 to 94%) respect to samples added with free oil (84%), and modulated the chromatic (E=1.5-1.9) and textural properties (hardness was increased 10-50%; elasticity was reduced 40%) of the cooked meat products. In presence of G, polyunsaturated fatty acids retention was higher (99%) than in P+ACh (95%) or in P+FO (94%). Additionally, P+AChG showed the lowest oxidative damage (TBA value was 50% lower than P+FO) at the end of freeze storage (90days at -18 degrees C) and subsequent heat treatment (15min at 200 degrees C). Present results showed that Prosopis alba exudate gum emerges as a novel and useful excipient for the development of polyelectrolyte encapsulation systems able to protect functional lipids in meat-based products.