Sodium-reduced lean sausages with fish oil optimized by a mixture design approach

Ultrasound and salt reduction effect on physicochemical and rheological properties of meat emulsions

Power ultrasound and salt reduction effects on meat emulsions' physicochemical and rheological properties were determined. Therefore, meat emulsions with different NaCl concentrations (1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5%) were treated in an ultrasonic bath (40 kHz, 200 W, & 9.34 W/cm2 ) at different times (0, 15, and 45 min). Results showed that salt reduction and ultrasound time significantly (p < 0.05) affected the cooking loss, water holding capacity, water activity, pH, color, hardness, viscosity, storage modulus (G'), loss modulus (G″), and phase angle δ. Meat emulsions with low salt content (1 and 1.5% NaCl) showed significantly higher values of cooking loss than standard emulsions (2.5% NaCl), while ultrasound duration of 15 min reduced the cooking loss (12 to 27%). Hardness, color, pH, and water activity (aw) decreased with salt reduction. Ultrasounds increased the hardness, viscosity, G', and G'' values in reduced-salt meat. The experimental data of apparent viscosity were properly fitted to the mathematical model of Ostwald-de-Waele. Ultrasound increased consistency (k) and decreased flow behavior index (n) in emulsions with 1.5 to 2.5% NaCl. Ultrasound at 15 min induced gelation in emulsions with 1.5 and 2.0% NaCl (40 and 20% NaCl reduction). The formulation with 2.0% NaCl was found to be the maximum concentration that did not sacrifice meat emulsion quality. When combined with 15 min of ultrasound, this formulation yielded results comparable to the standard formulation. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Results contribute to developing reduced-salt meat emulsions using power ultrasounds. Therefore, using ultrasounds allows for a 20% reduction in salt content while maintaining the quality of the meat emulsion.

Saltiness perception in gel-based food systems (gels and emulsion-filled gels)

Reducing salt in food without compromising its quality is a huge challenge. Some review articles have been recently published on saltiness perception in some colloidal systems such as emulsions. However, no published reviews are available on saltiness perceptions of gel-based matrices, even though salt release and perception in these systems have been extensively studied. This article reviews the recent advances in salt perception in gel-based systems and provides a detailed analysis of the main factors affecting salt release. Strategies to enhance saltiness perception in gels and emulsion-filled gels are also reviewed. Saltiness perception can be improved through addition of biopolymers (proteins and polysaccharides) due to their ability to modulate texture and/or to adhere to or penetrate through the mucosal membrane on the tongue to prolong sodium retention. The composition of the product and the distribution of salt within the matrix are the two main factors affecting the perception of salty taste. Food structure re-design can lead to control the level of interaction between the salt and other components and change the structure, which in turn affects the mobility and release of the salt. The change of ingredients/matrix can affect the texture of the product, highlighting the importance of sensory evaluation.

Hybrid Meat Products: Incorporation of White Bean Flour in Lean Pork Burgers

The effect of partial lean pork-meat replacement by white Phaseolus vulgaris L. flour in hybrid burgers was studied. A multivariate regression model was used to test different bean flour levels (BF: 8–15 g/100 g) and water/bean flour ratios (W/BF: 1.2, 1.6, and 1.8 g/g). Process yield, texture profile analysis, color parameters, thermal transitions, and microstructure of the systems were analyzed. Respond Surface Methodology was used to model the response behaviors and optimization. Burgers with BF showed yields higher than 88%. Hardness and cohesiveness decreased as the BF level increased, with a more noticeable effect when the W/BF ratio became larger. Regarding color, the higher the BF and the W/BF ratio in burgers, the higher the L* obtained. The desirability optimization predicted an optimum formulation consisting of 15 g BF/100 g and 1.36 g/g W/BF with similar attributes to a commercial pork burger. The thermal analysis showed an increase in the enthalpy associated with the myosin denaturation and the interactions between meat proteins and BF led to higher temperatures for the starch gelatinization and protein denaturation. The microstructure of BF burgers presented a more stable coarse gel matrix derived from coagulated meat proteins combined with the flour components. The mathematical procedure adequately predicted the hybrid burger quality attributes.

Recent Applications of Mixture Designs in Beverages, Foods, and Pharmaceutical Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Design of Experiments (DoE) is a statistical tool used to plan and optimize experiments and is seen as a quality technology to achieve products excellence. Among the experimental designs (EDs), the mixture designs (MDs) stand out, being widely applied to improve conditions for processing, developing, or formulating novel products. This review aims to provide useful updated information on the capacity and diversity of MDs applications for the industry and scientific community in the areas of food, beverage, and pharmaceutical health. Recent works were selected following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses statement (PRISMA) flow diagram. Data analysis was performed by self-organizing map (SOM) to check and understand which fields of application/countries/continents are using MDs. Overall, the SOM indicated that Brazil presented the largest number of works using MDs. Among the continents, America and Asia showed a predominance in applications with the same amount of work. Comparing the MDs application areas, the analysis indicated that works are prevalent in food and beverage science in the American continent, while in Asia, health science prevails. MDs were more used to develop functional/nutraceutical products and the formulation of drugs for several diseases. However, we briefly describe some promising research fields in that MDs can still be employed.

Sodium Reduction in Traditional Fermented Foods: Challenges, Strategies, and Perspectives

Sodium salt is a pivotal ingredient in traditional fermented foods, but its excessive consumption adversely affects human health, product quality, and production efficiency. Therefore, reducing sodium salt content in traditional fermented foods and developing low-sodium fermented foods have attracted increasing attention. Given the essential role of sodium salt in the safety and quality of fermented foods, appropriate approaches should be applied in the production of low-sodium fermented foods. In this review, the challenges of sodium reduction in traditional fermented foods are presented, including the possible growth of pathogenic bacteria, the formation of hazardous chemicals, flavor deficiency, and texture deterioration. Physical, chemical, and biological strategies are also discussed. This review provides references for improving the quality and safety of low-sodium fermented foods.

Background, Applications and Issues of the Experimental Designs for Mixture in the Food Sector

BACKGROUND

Mixtures play a key role in Food Science and Technology. For studying them, rational approaches should be used. In detail, the experimental designs for mixtures are useful tools for studying the effects of ingredients/components in formulations.

RESULTS

Food Science and Technology is the fourth category among the total records considered in this review. The applications span from food formulation to the composition of modified atmosphere, shelf-life improvement and bioactives extraction. However, the majority of the studies regards few products and ingredients. Simplex-lattice and simplex-centroid designs are the most common used, although some optimal designs, such as the D-optimal, have also interesting applications. Finally, some issues are highlighted, which basically regard the interpretation of the models coefficients and the lack of model validation.

CONCLUSION

In the last decade, mixture designs have been fairly used in the field of Food Science and Technology. Modeling the response(s) allows researchers to achieve a global knowledge of the system under study within the defined experimental domain. However, the majority of application has regarded limited classes of products, and thus an increase in the spectrum of applications is desired.

Performance of reduced fat-reduced salt fermented sausage with added microcrystalline cellulose, resistant starch and oat fiber using the simplex design

The search for ingredients that improve technological and nutritional aspects of food has been intensified in recent years by both researchers and industry. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate fermented sausages with simultaneous reduction of fat (25%) and salt (25% KCl; 75% NaCl) using up to 2% of three different dietary fiber: microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), resistant starch (RS) and oat fiber (OF). Technological and sensory evaluations used the simplex-centroid mixture design. The dietary fiber added did not affect the weight loss, pH values and sensory acceptance. Models were obtained for water activity, lactic acid bacteria, hardness, chewiness and TBARS values. When included in combination the three dietary fiber helped reduce water activity, inclusion of MCC increased the population of lactic acid bacteria, and inclusion of OF with MCC demonstrated an antioxidant effect and improved hardness and chewiness. These dietary fibers are ingredients that can contribute to the development of reduced fat - reduced salt fermented sausage.

Effect of pork quality and salt replacer KCl on technological and sensorial characteristics of restructured cooked hams

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of replacing sodium chloride (NaCl) by 40% of potassium chloride (KCl), combined to the use of different proportions (0, 50, and 100%) of pale, soft, and exudative meat, on the technological and sensorial characteristics of restructured cooked hams. NaCl replacement and pale, soft, and exudative proportion did not change ( P > 0.05) the products’ chemical composition, water losses, pH, and color. The ham texture profile was not affected by pale, soft, and exudative meat, but the chewiness reduced ( P < 0.05) with NaCl replacement. Pale, soft, and exudative meat reduced ( P < 0.05) the ham sliceability from 94 to 88%, regardless of the proportion used. NaCl replacement did not affect the perceived saltiness and the products’ acceptability, but pale, soft, and exudative products were more accepted, and consumers noticed a higher salty taste. It was concluded that reducing the sodium content by partially replacing NaCl with KCl is feasible even in restructured cooked hams made with high proportions of pale, soft, and exudative meat.

Microstructure and physiochemical properties of meat sausages based on nanocellulose-stabilized emulsions

Here we prepared some meat sausages using soybean oil in pure liquid form or pre-emulsified form stabilized with nanocelluloses (NCs) to partially replace pork back-fat and investigated the effects of NC types (sisal cellulose nanofiber, cotton cellulose nanofiber, and cotton cellulose nanocrystal) on the physicochemical properties and microstructure of the sausages. The physicochemical properties, including cooking loss, water holding capacity (WHC), textural properties, and rheological behavior, were evaluated. The results show that the sausages with pre-emulsified oil exhibited much-improved water and fat binding capacities, with significantly increased hardness, springiness, and chewiness. Additionally, pre-emulsifying soybean oil provided a more compact structure with smaller cavities. The sausages with different NCs had no significant difference in textural and microstructural properties, whereas they presented different water and fat binding capacities. From the results, it is concluded that NC-based emulsions are a viable fat replacer for meat sausages by providing similar stability and textural attributes.

Fat replacement in chicken sausages manufactured with broiler and old laying hens by different vegetable oils

The effect of old laying hen (OLH) and commercial broiler (CB) meat on emulsion-type sausages produced with different lipid types (canola, olive, and sunflower oils) to replace pork backfat was studied. To determine the physicochemical, textural, and microstructural properties, the proximate composition, color, pH, emulsion stability, cooking yield, water holding capacity, collagen content, textural properties, and scanning electron microscopy images of sausage samples were analyzed. Although there were significant differences in pH and emulsion stability between breed types (OLH and CB, P < 0.05), no significant differences were found for cooking yield and water holding capacity. The utilization of OLH meat in sausages produced higher total and insoluble collagen content than that of the CB meat. The replacement of pork backfat with olive oil produced the most similar texture to that of pork backfat among the lipid types used. The results showed the applicability of OLH meat in emulsion-type sausages and the use of vegetable oils, especially olive oil, might also be feasible.

Utilizing Potassium Chloride and Calcium Ascorbate to Reducing Chinese Bacon Sodium Content

This study evaluated the combined effects of sodium chloride (NaCl) substitutes, including potassium chloride (KCl) and calcium ascorbate, on physicochemical and sensory properties of low-sodium Chinese bacon. When KCl replaced 40 % NaCl, it had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on the physicochemical properties but had a certain effect on the sensory score. Using 30 % KCl and with 10 % calcium ascorbate (T2 group) replacing 40 % NaCl had good color score (6.73) and the overall acceptability score (6.90) was the highest in the experimental group. The color score of T2 group was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of control group (6.33). However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the overall acceptability score between the T2 group (6.90) and the control group (7.00). Therefore, a compound salt consisting of KCl and calcium ascorbate can be used in Chinese bacon, leading to sodium content about 40 % reduction.

Understanding salt reduction in fat-reduced hot dog sausages: Network structure, emulsion stability and consumer acceptance

High sodium and fat contents are cause of concerns for industries and consumers of meat products. Direct reduction of NaCl and fat is a useful strategy to understand how these ingredients interfere with the quality parameters of an emulsified meat product and how to reduce them without significant changes from the original product. The aim of this work was to understand salt reduction in fat-reduced (10 g fat/100 g product) hot dog sausages. Five NaCl concentrations were tested: 1% (F1), 1.25% (F1.25), 1.50% (F1.50), 1.75% (F1.75) and 2% (F2 – control). Proximate composition, sodium content, water activity, pH, emulsion stability, color, texture, scanning electron microscopy results and sensory attributes (just-about-right and acceptance tests) were assessed. Emulsion stability decreased ( P < 0.05) with salt reduction. Salt reduction increased water activity. Microscopic images showed a more compact matrix with the decrease in salt content. Sausages with the minimum (F1) and maximum (F2) amounts of salt were less accepted by consumers. A reduction of 26.8% of sodium can be obtained (with the formulation F1.25), allowing the labeling of sodium-reduced sausage and with acceptance by consumers.

Mixture design approach for the development of reduced fat lamb patties with carboxymethyl cellulose and inulin

Fat replacement by carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and inulin (IN) for the manufacture of low-fat lamb patties was investigated utilizing mixture design. The effect of fat, CMC, and IN levels on texture, color, weight loss, patty diameter reduction, and sensory characteristics was investigated. The presence of CMC decreased hardness (p < 0.05). While CMC and IN also decreased springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness (p < 0.05), no effect on adhesiveness was observed (p > 0.05). CMC increased L* (lightness), a* (redness), and b* (yellowness) values in raw patties, whereas IN and fat contributed to a decrease on these parameters. Higher contents of CMC resulted in products with lower weight loss (p < 0.05) with no significative diameter reduction (p > 0.05). Nonetheless, higher levels of CMC affected the sensory acceptance resulting on products described as crumbly and with residual flavor by check-all-that-apply questions. CMC and IN can be used as fat replacers in lamb patties; however, the content of each ingredient must be carefully considered. In this study, it was observed that contents of CMC higher than 1% (w/w) negatively affected the product, whereas IN levels were not capable to decrease weight loss and diameter reduction in lamb patties.

Adoptable Interventions, Human Health, and Food Safety Considerations for Reducing Sodium Content of Processed Food Products

Although vital for maintaining health when consumed in moderation, various epidemiological studies in recent years have shown a strong association between excess dietary sodium with an array of health complications. These associations are robust and clinically significant for development of hypertension and prehypertension, two of the leading causes of preventable mortality worldwide, in adults with a high-sodium diet. Data from developed nations and transition economies show worldwide sodium intake of higher than recommended amounts in various nations. While natural foods typically contain a moderate amount of sodium, manufactured food products are the main contributor to dietary sodium intake, up to 75% of sodium in diet of American adults, as an example. Lower cost in formulation, positive effects on organoleptic properties of food products, effects on food quality during shelf-life, and microbiological food safety, make sodium chloride a notable candidate and an indispensable part of formulation of various products. Although low-sodium formulation of each product possesses a unique set of challenges, review of literature shows an abundance of successful experiences for products of many categories. The current study discusses adoptable interventions for product development and reformulation of products to achieve a modest amount of final sodium content while maintaining taste, quality, shelf-stability, and microbiological food safety.