Foie gras pâté without force-feeding

Foie gras (pâté) is an exceptional delicacy with a distinctive sensory profile. However, the animals, primarily ducks and geese, are force-fed a high-caloric cereals-based diet to obtain the fatty liver. With increasing awareness of ethical conditions and animal welfare, products that mimic the unique textural characteristics of foie gras pâté are entering the market. The present work shows a way to produce a foie gras-like pâté based on the same raw materials as a convenient homemade liver pâté by enzymatic treatment of fat with Candida rugosa type VII lipase. The distribution of mono-, di- and triglycerides is altered, which affects the melting profile measured by dynamic scanning calorimetry (DSC). Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) were used to compare the solid fat content and the crystalline part of the fat samples, showing an increase in both values compared to the untreated fat. The pâté samples were analyzed by rheological methods and force measurements to determine physical properties such as storage modulus and hardness. The emulsion structure was evaluated by coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy, and fat droplet size and shape were assessed. When the textural properties of the pâtés are compared, the treated fat pâtés behave more like real foie gras pâtés than their untreated counterparts.