Improvement in the freeze-thaw stability and in vitro protein digestibility of beef patties using κ-carrageenan-locust bean gum emulsion gel.

This study evaluated the freeze-thaw stability and in vitro digestion behavior of beef patties by replacing beef fat with a κ-carrageenan (κCAR)-locust bean gum (LBG)-based emulsion gel. LBG addition to κCAR-based emulsion gels reduced drip loss under all freezing temperatures (P < 0.05). Patties were prepared using three treatments: beef fat (BF), canola oil (CO), and κCAR-LBG emulsion gel (EG). EG batter exhibited less coalescence and significantly lower drip loss than BF and CO after freeze-thawing (P < 0.05). Additionally, unlike CO which hardened significantly (P < 0.05), BF and EG maintained stable hardness after freeze-thawing (P > 0.05). In an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, CO and EG had higher α-amino groups than BF, and EG had the highest <3 kDa protein content (P < 0.05). Consequently, κCAR-LBG emulsion gel is effective beef fat substitute in beef patties, offering better freeze-thaw stability than canola oil and improved in vitro protein digestion than beef fat.