Physicochemical properties of a new structural lipid from the enzymatical incorporation of flaxseed oil into mutton tallow

This study evaluated the physio-chemical properties of a structural lipid (SL) obtained by the enzymatical incorporation of flaxseed oil into mutton tallow (MT). By measuring the melting point, colour, safety, fatty acids, apparent viscosity, shear stress and volatile compounds of the samples, the results showed that compared to MT, SL exhibited lower L∗(lightness) value, melting point, apparent viscosity and shear stress (p < 0.05). Noteworthy, the Saturated fatty acids (SFA)content of MT was reduced from 61.46% to 25.49% (p < 0.05), although SL was found to be more prone to oxidation during storage. The clearest discrepancy in volatile compounds was the increase of heterocyclic compounds in SL. In summary, improving the edible properties of animal fats by adding vegetable oils is an effective solution, and SL may have a great potential to be developed into a high-quality product with improved nutritional composition of animal fat.