Fecha de publicación: -- Fuente: PubMed "meat" Food Chem X. 2026 Oct 27;40:104699. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.104699. eCollection 2026 Dec.ABSTRACTThis study examined how κ-carrageenan (κCAR) concentration influences the texture, flavor release, and functionality of κCAR emulsion gels (EGs) as pork fat replacers in textured vegetable protein (TVP) patties. Five EGs (EG1-EG5) with increasing κCAR levels were evaluated. Higher κCAR concentrations increased hardness, cohesiveness, oil binding capacity, viscosity, and melting temperature. EGs with higher gel strength showed distinct headspace volatile profiles after heating. After cooking, TVP patties containing EG3-EG5 had more short- and medium-chain fatty acids, whereas pork-fat, EG1, and EG2 patties contained more sulfur compounds, alcohols, and ketones. Despite these differences in the volatile compounds, no significant differences were observed in overall liking scores during sensory evaluation. Pork-fat patties were characterized by roasted/burnt aroma and a crispy mouthfeel, whereas EG5-containing patties were characterized by a chunky texture. Overall, κCAR EGs are effective fat replacers, but gel strength should be optimized for balanced quality.PMID:43001302 | PMC:PMC13744904 | DOI:10.1016/j.fochx.2026.104699