Study of the Stability of Beef Tallow at High Temperatures and Comparison with Other Fatty Materials

Abstract

Beef tallow is a byproduct of the slaughter industry. As a consequence, meat producer countries obtain a high amount of this low value-added fatty material. In Uruguay, it is generally used for food purposes or for biodiesel production. Globally, around half of the beef tallow produced worldwide is used for the manufacturing of food. To the best of our knowledge there are no published studies concerning the stability of beef tallow when exposed to high temperatures. The aim of this work was to study some Uruguayan beef tallow brands and compare its stability with that of the most frequently used frying oils in Uruguay (sunflower high oleic, rice bran and sunflower oil) to assess its suitability for frying. Stability was assessed by the oxidative stability index and thermoxidation in absence of food. Even though beef tallow's inherent stability indicated that it should be highly stable to oxidation, the majority of the analyzed samples exhibited a similar or lower stability than sunflower high oleic. This might be explained by a different composition in pro-oxidants and/or antioxidants between the beef tallows and the oils. According to the thermoxidation assays, which are carried out in similar conditions to those of a frying process, three of the beef tallow samples, sunflower high oleic and rice bran oil would be similarly suitable for frying, while sunflower oil and the other two samples of beef tallow evidenced a lower thermoxidative stability, thus not being recommended for this use.

Effect of vacuum thermoxidation on sunflower oil

“…Sunflower oil is widely used in Uruguay. In particular, it is frequently employed for frying foods at home as well as in the restaurant business and the food industry ( Pinchak et al., 2013 ). According to the manufacturer this variety comes in two versions, one with addition of antioxidants and the other exclusively with the natural antioxidants remaining after chemical refining.…”

Use of the Viscofrit to determine the moment of discarding the thermoxidized beef tallow

“…In studies conducted by Pinchak et al, (2013) it is shown that BT has a variable thermoxidative behavior that depends on its manufacturer; and if it receives adequate treatment, this fatty material can be a good frying medium.…”