Microencapsulated healthy oil mixtures to enhance the quality of foal pâtés

This study aimed to evaluate the use of microencapsulated oil mixtures as partial animal fat replacers and their effects on the physicochemical, nutritional and sensory qualities of foal pâtés. Three different batches were manufactured: a control (CON) formulation, with foal dorsal subcutaneous fat (30 g/100 g), and treatments 1 and 2 (T1 and T2), with 50% of the animal fat replaced by microcapsules containing algal oil mixed with walnut oil (T1) or pistachio oil (T2). The reformulated samples presented significant (p < 0.001) diminutions of fat contents, which achieved reductions of 34.22% (“reduced fat content”) and 28.17% in the T1 and T2 samples, respectively, and the lipid reformulation did not affect (p > 0.05) the texture or lipid oxidation of the samples. Furthermore, both microencapsulated oil mixtures significantly (p < 0.001) reduced (11–15%) saturated fatty acid (SFA) concentrations and increased (p < 0.001) mono- (T2) and polyunsaturated (T1) fatty acid contents (8% and 68%, respectively), contributing to the obtainment of nutritional indices in line with health recommendations. Additionally, consumer acceptability did not display significant (p > 0.05) differences among samples. Hence, the outcomes indicated that the incorporation of these microencapsulated oil mixtures as partial animal fat replacers, especially the T1 mixture, represents a promising strategy to obtain healthier foal pâtés, without compromising consumer approval.This research was funded by Interreg V SUDOE, through the OPEN2PRESERVE project, grant no. SOE2/P5/E0804.Acknowledgements to the Universidad Pública de Navarra for granting Aurora Cittadini with a predoctoral scholarship (Resolution 787/2019). Thanks to GAIN (Axencia Galega de Innovación) for supporting this study (grant no. IN607A2019/01). P.E.S., M.P., R.D. and J.M.L. are members of the HealthyMeat network, funded by CYTED (ref. 119RT0568). The authors wish to thank to the technical staff of the Institute for Agri-food and Technology and Infrastructures of Navarre (INTIASA) for the management of the animals and for the foal samples supplied for this research. Paulo E.S. Munekata acknowledges postdoctoral fellowship support from the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN, Spain) “Juan de la Cierva” program (IJC2020-043358-I)