Novel applications of oil-structuring methods as a strategy to improve the fat content of meat products

This paper reviews the approaches taken to stabilize and structure edible oils in order to promote solid-lipid functionality for use as an alternative to animal fat for the development of healthy lipid meat products. Interesterification and organogelation processes, the formation of oil bulking agents and the creation of structured emulsions (hydrogelled emulsion and organogelled emulsion) are described as strategies for the stabilization and structuring of edible liquid oils. Different aspects related to their composition, preparation and structural organization are described as well as their utilization in meat product formulation.