Effect of Gradual Heating and Fat/Oil Type on Fat Stability, Texture, Color, and Microstructure of Meat Batters

The effects of endpoint cooking temperature (40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 degrees C) on emulsion stability, texture, color, and microstructure of meat batters prepared with different fats/oils were studied. Canola oil treatments showed the highest cooking loss whereas hydrogenated palm oil provided the most stable meat batters. Rendered beef fat was less stable than regular beef fat. Increasing endpoint cooking temperatures resulted in a progressive reduction of water holding capacity in all treatments. As temperature was raised, meat batters showed higher hardness and cohesiveness values, but no appreciable changes in cohesiveness above 60 degrees C. Canola and hydrogenated palm oil treatments showed the highest hardness and chewiness values. Lightness (L-*) values of all meat batters increased significantly with increasing temperature from 40 to 60 or 70 degrees C; no major changes observed above 70 degrees C. Light microscopy revealed no substantial changes in the microstructure of all the stable meat batters cooked to between 50 and 70 degrees C. Heating to 90 degrees C changed the microstructure in all meat batters except the hydrogenated palm oil treatments, which still showed nonround fat particles and a less aggregated protein matrix. Practical Application The study demonstrated the effect of fat/oil type on stability of comminuted meat products, as well as the progressive increase in cooking losses as endpoint cooking temperature was raised from 40 to 90 degrees C. The study also revealed the changes in textural characteristics (for example, hardness, springiness, cohesiveness) affected by heating temperature and fat used. The information is valuable to the meat industry in understanding the relationships between the factors studied, as well as demonstrating the microstructural and color changes occurring inside meat batters formulated with fats/oils having different melting temperatures.