Effect of fat replacers on quality characteristics of low fat meat products: a review

Abstract

High animal fat intake is associated with an increased risk for obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, some types of cancer and coronary heart diseases. Reduction of fat in meat products leads to firmer, more rubbery, less juicy, darker in colour, more costly and less acceptable in terms of skin formation, mouth feel, and processing yield. Manufacturers have introduced several modifications in an attempt to offset the detrimental effects of reducing the fat level. These modifications include the use of fat replacers that could help to improve the quality of reduced fat meat products. Fat is replaced in meat product by reformulating the meat product with lipid-, protein-or carbohydrate-based ingredients. The direct replacement of fat with non-meat ingredients is an attractive alternative approach to fat reduction due to the excellent functional and nutritional properties that non-meat ingredients impart.