Inclusion of blended lipid solutions as functional ingredients to alter the fatty acid profile of beef patties.

UNLABELLED Beef patties formulated to contain beef fat, plant oil, and a rosemary extract to increase unsaturated fatty acid content and maintain desirable sensory attributes were compared to control beef patties formulated without plant oils. Treatment patties were formulated to a fat content of 10% or 20% by combining beef trimmings (6% fat) with 4% or 14% addition of a lipid blend. Blends contained 57% beef tallow, 0.3% rosemary extract, and 43% of high oleic safflower oil (SO), olive oil (OO), or corn oil (CO). Lipid oxidation, as measured by TBA values, of treatment patties were similar to control patties after 0 and 3 d of refrigerated (2 °C) storage and up to 56 d of frozen (-10 °C) storage. Cooked lipid blend patties having a fat content of 10% or 20% were similar to or higher than control patties for juiciness and were no different for other sensory attributes evaluated. At fat levels of 10% or 20%, oleic acid (18: 1) in cooked SO patties (46.1% and 50.3%, respectively) and OO patties (43.8% and 48.1%, respectively) was higher than the control (37.3% and 37.6%, respectively). Unsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratios at the 10% or 20% fat levels were higher in SO (1.37 and 1.60, respectively) and CO (1.40 and 1.48, respectively) patties than the control (0.97 and 0.94, respectively). Beef patties manufactured with varying lipid blends increased unsaturated fatty acid content and were similar in physical characteristics and sensory attributes of all beef patties formulated without lipid blends. PRACTICAL APPLICATION The development of healthier beef products that will be more appealing to consumers has long been an industry goal. The authors believe that lipid blends such as the one used in this study could be used to create such products, not only in the form of beef patties, but any number of processed meat products. Because the materials and equipment used to create the lipid blends in this study are widely available, their incorporation into meat products would represent a small capital investment. This is an important factor in bringing a reasonably priced, healthier product to consumers.