Emulsion characteristics, chemical and textural properties of meat systems produced with double emulsions as beef fat replacers

• Utilization of double (W1/O/W2) emulsions in model meat systems was investigated.
• Double emulsions decreased lipid and increased protein content of meat systems.
• Double emulsions had a remarkable advantage in modifying fatty acid composition.
• Technological and oxidative stabilities were highly affected by W1/O/W2 emulsions.
• W1/O/W2 emulsions were noted as promising constituents for beef fat replacement.

In recent years, double emulsions are stated to have a promising potential in low-fat food production, however, there are very few studies on their possible applications in meat matrices. We aimed to investigate the quality of beef emulsion systems in which beef fat was totally replaced by double emulsions (W1/O/W2) prepared with olive oil and sodium caseinate (SC) by two-step emulsification procedure. Incorporation of W1/O/W2 emulsion resulted in reduced lipid, increased protein content, and modified fatty acid composition. W1/O/W2 emulsion treatments had lower jelly and fat separation, higher water-holding capacity and higher emulsion stability than control samples with beef fat. Increased concentrations of W1/O/W2 emulsions resulted in significant changes in texture parameters. TBA values were lower in W1/O/W2 emulsion treatments than control treatment after 60 days of storage. In conclusion, our study confirms that double emulsions had promising impacts on modifying fatty acid composition and developing both technologically and oxidatively stable beef emulsion systems.