Oxidative stability of n-3 fatty acids encapsulated in filled hydrogel particles and of pork meat systems containing them

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Abstract The effect of storage time (2 C, 19 days) and heating (70 C, 30 min) on physical characteristics and oxidative stability of fish oil encapsulated in filled hydrogel particles was determined and compared with a conventional oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion with the same oil content (8.5%). Subsequently they were used to enrich meat systems with n-3 LCPUFAs, and their lipid oxidation was evaluated and compared with two other meat systems: one containing all animal fat and another with fish oil added directly. Filled hydrogel particles were more effective in lowering the oxidation rate than O/W emulsion, even when thermal treatment was applied. Oxidative stability over the storage time was best in the n-3 LCPUFA-enriched meat system containing filled hydrogel particles, in which TBARS levels were up to 62% lower than other systems containing fish oil. Hydrogel particles offer a promising means of controlling lipid oxidation in n-3 LCPUFA-enriched meat products.