Consumer acceptance and quality of game meat "droëwors" sausages with different levels of added fat

Droëwors (dried sausage) is a unique dried meat product from South Africa, which is not smoked, fermented, nor is nitrite used in its production. The objective of the study was to compare the quality parameters and consumer acceptance of common eland meat droëwors with different quantities of added beef fat. Three treatments containing either 10, 15, or 20% (by weight) added beef fat were compared regarding chemical composition, fatty acid profiles, and sensory properties. Increasing the amount of fat in the dried product resulted in a significant decrease in the protein and ash percentages. The sausages with 10% added fat had the most favourable fatty acid profile in terms of nutritional value. Several differences were found in the sensory profiles of the products evaluated by the trained sensory panel; in particular, the evaluation scores for texture improved with increasing fat content. No differences were found between the products by the untrained consumer panel for appearance and taste. When the dataset was analysed according to gender, it was found that women evaluated the 10% fat samples more favourably. This is in line with their stated preference for low-fat meat products. For these reasons, the production of sausages with the lowest fat content can be recommended as they best meet consumer expectations.

Characterisation of Dry-Salted Violino and Bresaola from Grass-Fed Bergamasca Sheep

This study focuses on characterising two seasoned products, violino and bresaola, derived from grass-fed Bergamasca sheep monitored with a GPS system. The evaluation includes both nutritional and sensory aspects. Results reveal that both products boast a high protein content (approximately 40%) and a beneficial fatty acid profile, endorsing a healthy n-6/n-3 ratio (2.2), along with rumenic acid (92-184 mg/100 g) and branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) (237-621 mg/100 g). The sensory evaluation highlights distinctive ovine characteristics in aroma and flavour. Violino and bresaola from grass-fed Bergamasca sheep showcase positive attributes for human consumption. The study emphasises the potential for added value to seasoned products from Bergamasca sheep through a traceable, sustainable, and health-conscious supply chain.

Incorporation of Low Molecular Weight Chitosan in a Low-Fat Beef Burger: Assessment of Technological Quality and Oxidative Stability

In the present work, incorporating low molecular weight chitosan (LMWCH) (0, 0.5, 1, and 2%) as a fat replacer into low-fat beef burgers and technological, textural, and oxidative stability were investigated. The weight loss and shrinkage of samples decreased with the increase of LMWCH concentration. In contrast, the water-holding capacity and color of burgers were enhanced by the addition of LMWCH. The instrumental TPA results indicated an increase in the LMWCH levels, significantly increasing the hardness, springiness, and gumminess but decreasing the cohesiveness of low-fat beef burgers. The TBARS and peroxide values and free fatty acid content in the burgers supplemented with LMWCH increase slower than the control sample during refrigerated storage.

Application of Fat-Tailed Sheep Tail and Backfat to Develop Novel Warthog Cabanossi with Distinct Sensory Attributes

This study compared the use of pork backfat (PF) and fat-tailed sheep tail and backfat (SF) on the physicochemical, fatty acids and sensory attributes of warthog cabanossi. There were no differences between weight loss during drying, moisture content, pH, water activity, salt content and lipid oxidation between the cabanossi types. However, protein and ash contents were higher in PF cabanossi whilst fat content was higher in SF cabanossi. The PF cabanossi had higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially n-6), lower monounsaturated fatty acids whilst the saturated fatty acid content was similar between the two cabanossi products. The n-3:n-6 ratio was more beneficial in the SF cabanossi. The descriptive sensory analysis showed two distinct products where PF cabanossi scored higher for most attributes. Although SF cabanossi scored less for these attributes, this cabanossi had unique and acceptable sensory attributes. This study concluded that fat-tailed sheep tail and backfat could be used to produce a unique cabanossi product of acceptable quality.

Fermented meat sausages from game and venison: what are the opportunities and limitations?

An increase in the acceptance, demand and production of game meat and venison has been experienced globally. Game meat and venison fit into consumers' ideology of healthy and environmentally friendly meat when compared to domesticated animals. Opportunities exist to explore the use of these meat sources in developing new products, particularly as game meat and venison in their fresh state are sometimes perceived as being tough. Consumers have shown a trend for trying exciting new products with different organoleptic qualities, and fermented sausages occupy a special niche in the gastro-economic trade. In this review, the production potential of game meat and venison and its prospective use in the development of fermented sausages are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the importance of meat characteristics in textural and sensorial development as well as the safety of fermented sausages. Additionally, consumers' perception of venison and game meat is discussed. Possible areas of research and knowledge gaps are highlighted, particularly the potential use of meat with high pH and microbial load. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of high-pressure treatment on taste and metabolite profiles of ducks with two different vinasse-curing processes

The effect of high-pressure (HP) (0.1, 150 and 300MPa, 15min) on taste profiles of vinasse-cured ducks was investigated; the metabolite profiles were determined using ¹H NMR. HP at 150MPa increased the taste intensity of products compared with the controls, while HP at 300MPa did not further improve their taste compared with 150MPa treated samples. The metabonome of vinasse-cured ducks was dominated by 27 metabolites. HP increased amino acids, glucose, alkaloids and organic acids, but decreased inosine monophosphate and its derivatives, compared with the controls. The increments of metabolites in vinasse-dry-cured duck were higher than those in vinasse-wet-cured duck. The change of metabolites could be related to the enzyme activity, the degradations of proteins, sugars and nucleotides, and the permeation from vinasse-curing agents to duck meat. These findings suggest that 150MPa treatment was effective to improve the taste of vinasse-cured duck.

Effect of the Duck Skin on Quality Characteristics of Duck Hams

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of duck skin on cooking loss, emulsion stability, pH, color, protein solubility, texture profile analysis (TPA), apparent viscosity, and sensory characteristics of press type duck ham with different ratio of duck breast meat and duck skin. Five duck ham formulations were produced with the following compositions: T1 (duck breast 70% + duck skin 30%), T2 (duck breast 60% + duck skin 40%), T3 (duck breast 50% + duck skin 50%), T4 (duck breast 40% + duck skin 60%), and T5 (duck breast 30% + duck skin 70%). The cooking loss and fat separation were lower in T1, and the total expressible fluid separations were lower in T1 and T2 than others. The pH ranged from 6.48 to 6.59, with the highest values in T4 and T5. T5 had the highest CIE L*-value, and T1 and T2 had the highest CIE a*-values; however, CIE b*-values did not differ significantly between the duck ham samples. The protein solubility and TPA (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness) were the highest in T1. T1 and T2 had higher scores for color, tenderness, and overall acceptability. T1, T2, and T3 showed significantly higher values, but there were no significant differences for flavor and juiciness. Regarding apparent viscosity properties, T1 and T2 had higher viscosity values than the other formulations. In conclusion, the T1 (duck breast 70% + duck skin 30%) and T2 (duck breast 60% + duck skin 40%) duck hams show the highest quality characteristics.

Physicochemical Properties, Fatty Acid Profiles, and Sensory Characteristics of Fermented Beef Sausage by Probiotics Lactobacillus plantarum IIA-2C12 or Lactobacillus acidophilus IIA-2B4

Probiotics may be used to enhance the functionality and nutritional values of fermented sausages. This study aims to evaluate the physicochemical and sensory properties of beef sausages fermented by lactic acid bacteria of Lactobacillus plantarum IIA-2C12 and L. acidophilus IIA-2B4. These strains were isolated from beef cattle and have shown to display probiotic features. While the nutrient contents were not affected by the probiotics, the pH, texture, and color varied among the sausages. Further analysis on fatty acids showed different profiles of saturated (C14:0, C17:0, and C20:0) and unsaturated (C14:1, C18:1n9c, C18:2n6c, and C22:6n3) fatty acids in sausages with probiotics. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry further revealed some flavor development compounds including acid, alcohols, aldehydes, aromatic, ketones, sulfur, hydrocarbons and terpenes, varied among the sausages. Hedonic test showed no difference in the preference toward aroma, texture, and color for untrained panelists.

Healthy Spanish salchichón enriched with encapsulated n-3 long chain fatty acids in konjac glucomannan matrix

Reduction of fat content and improving fatty acid composition were the strategies used to reformulate Spanish salchichón with better lipid content by partial substitution of pork backfat by microencapsulated fish oil in konjac glucomannan matrix. For the present study, four different batches were manufactured: control (CO) with 100% of pork backfat and ME25, ME50 and ME75 where the pork backfat was replaced with 25, 50 and 75% by microencapsulated fish oil, respectively. The fat replacement by microencapsulated fish oil was accompanied by a decrease (P<0.05) in lightness and redness. On the other hand, the incorporation of microencapsulated fish oil increased (P<0.001) hardness, gumminess and chewiness, but did not influence springiness and cohesiveness. The incorporation of microencapsulated fish oil in konjac gel significantly (P>0.001) decreased the fat content (30.4%) as compared with the CO group. The total amount of PUFA in the modified sausages increased by 2.3% compared to the control batches. Finally, the reformulation process showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in the lipid oxidation (TBARs values and aldehydes content) related to the greater susceptibility to lipid oxidation of unsaturated (particularly EPA and DHA) fatty acids. To conclude, it is technologically feasible to develop Spanish salchichón enriched with microencapsulated n-3 fatty acids from fish oil.

Effect of fat level on physicochemical, volatile compounds and sensory characteristics of dry-ripened "chorizo" from Celta pig breed

A traditional Spanish dry-ripened sausage "chorizo" from Celta pig breed was formulated with 10, 20 and 30% of back fat (LF, MF and HF, respectively). An increase in fat content significantly affected the chemical composition of the sausages at the end of ripening (higher fat content and lower protein content and moisture) and physico-chemical parameters (lower pH, aw, hardness, springiness and chewiness and higher TBARS index, L*, a* and b* values). With the increase of fat in the sausage formulation a higher total content of free fatty acids (FFA) was also obtained, showing a greater lipolysis than in LF sausages. All these parameters were significantly affected by ripening time. A lower total content of volatile compounds were found in HF sausages, being detected 3 alcohols, 4 aldehydes, 12 esters, 3 ketones, 7 aliphatic and 4 aromatic hydrocarbons. Sensorial analysis showed differences for fat level and fat-lean cohesiveness within appearance attributes; odour intensity and spices odour within odour attributes and hardness within texture attributes.