RESISTANT STARCH AS FAT REPLACER IN MORTADELLA: QUALITY PARAMETERS AND CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE

Growing consumer demand for healthier meat products has encouraged the development of reduced-fat formulations. However, fat plays a key technological role in mortadella, contributing to texture, juiciness, emulsion stability, and overall consumer acceptance. Therefore, replacing fat while minimizing its effect on product quality remains a major challenge. Resistant starch has emerged as a promising fat replacer due to its technological functionality and potential health benefits. This study evaluated the effect of replacing fat with resistant starch on the technological characteristics and consumer acceptance of mortadella. Four treatments were produced: CON (5% tapioca starch and 15% fat) and three reduced-fat containing 10% fat, 2.5% tapioca starch, and 2.5% resistant starch, differing only in the type of resistant starch used: TRS3 (type 3), TRS4T (type 4 tapioca), and TRS4C (type 4 corn). Color was measured using a spectrophotometer and expressed in values of L*, a*, and b*. Texture profile analysis was performed using a texture analyzer and evaluated hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness. Sensory analysis was conducted using a consumer acceptance test. Data were analyzed using the General Linear Model and principal component analysis (PCA). The first and second principal components explained, respectively, 55,46 and 24,47% of the data variation (79,93% overall). The first principal component was explained by color parameter b* (factorial charges ≥ 0,7), whereas parameter a*, hardness, and aroma showed strong negative loadings for both principal components. The second principal component was positively associated with flavor, appearance, texture, cohesiveness, and chewiness (factorial charges ≥ 0,7). In this way, CON was described by higher aroma, hardness, and redness (a*), but lower overall acceptance. TRS3 was associated with lower yellowness (b*) and higher intensity of flavor, texture, cohesiveness, chewiness, and appearance. TRS4C was mainly described by springiness, lightness (L*), and overall acceptance.  The results demonstrate that resistant starch is a viable fat replacer for mortadella, although its technological and sensory effects depend on the starch type. TRS3 was associated with improved flavor and texture attributes, whereas TRS4C achieved higher overall acceptance, highlighting the potential of both treatments for developing healthier mortadella.