Olive oil may replace pork fat for summer sausages

An olive oil-in-water emulsion was found to partially replace pork back without changing the colour or taste of the frankfurter, and reduce levels of saturated fats and boost mono-unsaturated fat levels, according to results published in Food Research International . “Oil-in-water emulsions whose emulsion characteristics have been improved by the formation of network structures can be used to modulate the properties of reformulated meat products,” wrote researchers from the City University, Madrid. “In this respect it is worth considering the possibility of adapting the type of oil-in water emulsion to the nature of the product (fresh, cooked, fermented). This technological option could offer attractive possibilities for the part of the meat industry interested in healthier lipid formulations.” Bad fats, good fats The research taps into the trend for healthier versions of household favourites. There is a widely supported theory that saturated fats are detrimental to heart health. Indeed, the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has previously stated estimated that if people cut their saturated fat intake to government recommendations it could prevent up to 3,500 premature deaths a year, saving the UK economy more than £1bn a year in related costs. Such estimates have led to public awareness campaigns in the UK, including a £3.5m advertising campaign to encourage consumers to reduce their intake of saturated fat and change the way they shop and eat. The new study indicates that the saturated fat content of frankfurters predominantly from the use of porkback fat, could be reduced by replacing the pork fat with olive oil emulsions. The emulsions were stabilised with various protein systems formulated using sodium caseinate, soy protein isolate, meat protein and microbial transglutaminase. “Generally frankfurters made with the different oil-in-water emulsions presented good water and fat binding properties, greater hardness, cohesiveness and chewiness and poorer adhesiveness than control (all pork fat) frankfurters,” wrote the researchers. However, when tasted by a panel of 12 evaluators, the results were similar between olive oil-in-water emulsions frankfurters and the control sausages. Impacting health “It has been suggested that foods which are strategically or naturally enriched with healthier fatty acids can be used to achieve desired biochemical effects without the intake of supplements or changes in dietary habit. For this reason partial substitution of pork backfat by olive oil has been tried in frankfurters,” wrote the researchers. “One fundamental requirement of the development of a healthier lipid formulation with a view to potential health benefits is that the lipid content and profile be optimum. It is after all desirable for products to contain sufficient concentrations of these beneficial compounds to make a serious contribution to recommended intake levels when the food is consumed in normal quantities. Then again, dietary models suggest that MUFA should be the majority dietary fatty acids (WHO, 2003), so that when MUFA are the predominant fatty acids the total fat intake is not substantial and need not be limited. “The design of the modified frankfurters reported in this experiment was therefore especially appropriate in that respect,” they stated. Source: Food Research International Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2010.06.010 “Influence of emulsified olive oil stabilizing system used for pork backfat replacement in frankfurters” Atuhros: F. Jimenez-Colmenero, A. Herrero, T. Pintado, M.T. Solas, C. Ruiz-Capillas

Olive oil may replace pork fat for summer sausages

Barbecues may see a healthier sausage this summer as Spanish scientists show that pork fat may be replaced by emulsified olive oil without changing the taste of the hot dog.

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