The effect of replacing fat with oat bran on fatty acid composition and physicochemical properties of meatballs.

Oat bran was used as a fat substitute in the production of meatballs. The effect of oat bran addition on the fatty acid composition, trans fatty acids, total fat, some physicochemical and sensory properties of the samples was studied. Meatballs were produced with four different formulations; the addition of 5, 10, 15 and 20% oat bran. Control samples were formulated with 25% fat addition as in commercial production. The major fatty acids were cis-oleic, palmitic and stearic acid in all the meatball samples, those with oat bran added as well as the control. Meatballs containing oat bran had lower concentrations of total fat and total trans fatty acids than the control samples. Meatballs made with 20% oat bran had the highest protein, salt and ash contents, L value (lightness), b value (yellowness), and the lowest moisture content and a value (redness). There was no significant difference among the meatball samples with respect to sensory properties, and all samples had high acceptability.