Impact of açaí oil and guar gum-based emulsion gel on goat burger quality: Technological, sensory, and fatty acid profile

Research into the reformulation of meat products has become prominent in response to increasing consumer demand for healthier food options. This study evaluated the substitution of animal fat with açaí oil and guar gum-based emulsion gel in various proportions (0 %, 25 %, 50 %, 75 %, and 100 %) in goat meat burgers stored frozen for 120 days. The findings demonstrated that incorporating açaí oil and guar gum-based emulsion gel reduced cooking loss and softened the texture profile of reformulated burgers. Additionally, these burgers exhibited decreased lipid oxidation, indicating a potential antioxidant effect of açaí oil. Additionally, there was a decrease in a* values (redness) and an increase in b* values (yellowness) over the storage period. Replacing up to 50 % of emulsion gel did not affect the sensorial aspects of color, flavor and odor. Furthermore, the inclusion of emulsion gel altered the fatty acid profile of the burgers, resulting in a reduction of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and led to improvements in atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices. These findings have important practical implications, suggesting that emulsion gel is a promising alternative for reformulating goat burgers and catering to the demand for healthier products.