Replacement of Animal Fat by Canola Oil in Chicken Meatball

ABSTRACT This work aimed to develop chicken meatballs with five levels of animal fat replacement by canola oil and to evaluate the product’s behavior during 120 days of storage. For that, analyzes were performed in the centesimal composition, fatty acid profile, shelf life and sensory parameters. The centesimal composition of the product did not present significant difference (p>0.05) between the treatments. However, canola oil addition improved the lipid profile, atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes, and the ratios of PUFAs/SFAs (0.91 to 1.61) and n6/n3 (12.63 to 3.74) in the products. Animal fat replacement and storage time also reduced meatballs Aw and pH. No differences in texture between treatments were detected after 30 days of storage. The lipid oxidation presented by mean values of TBARs ranged from 0.71 and 1.35 mg MDA/kg, indicating the onset and the regression of lipid oxidation. The color parameters exhibited a spectrum towards the luminous yellow color, predominant in both chicken meat and canola oil. The results of this study indicate that the substitution of animal fat by canola oil is promising in the production of meat products with good acceptability (70%) during the sensory analysis.