Functional evaluation of wax-based oleogels as solid fat replacers for designing low saturated fat plant-based meat analogues

Meat analogues have gained global attention as consumer demand increases for healthier and more sustainable food products. However, research aimed at replacing solid fats in meat analogues to lower saturated fat content remains very limited. Canola oil was structured with three natural waxes (candelilla wax, carnauba wax, and beeswax) and their potentials as solid fat replacers were evaluated for low saturated fat meat analogues. The wax-based oleogels retained solid fat at higher temperatures compared to coconut oil. Candelilla wax oleogels showed the highest hardness at room temperature. Upon melting, carnauba wax oleogels exhibited the highest viscosity and the greatest sensitivity to temperature changes, as evidenced by their highest activation energy. Replacement of coconut oil with wax-based oleogels did not significantly alter the visual appearance of meat analogues. Meat analogues with oleogels had significantly lower cooking loss, especially with carnauba wax oleogels. The hardness of coconut oil and oleogels was correlated to that of the corresponding meat analogues (R² = 0.76). Additionally, oleogel-based analogues had a much healthier fatty acid profile, with lower saturated and higher unsaturated fat content, closely resembling canola oil. Therefore, this study demonstrated that wax-based oleogels were promising solid fat alternatives for developing plant-based meat analogues with enhanced cooking performance and healthier fatty acid composition.