| The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of some fat replacers to determine if some fermented no/low fat meat products can be made as acceptable as their traditional full-fat counterparts. Rice granules, potato flour with beet fiber, rice flour and modified food starch were used as fat replacers in pepperoni and summer sausage. Spice formulation and processing methods were held constant. Color, sensory, chemical, and rancidity analyses were performed at days 1, 30, and 60 of storage at 3°C. The low-fat pepperoni products were not different (P > 0.05) from the control product in processing yield; Hunter Color "a" values at day 1, and "b" values throughout storage; sensory attributes of tenderness, tartness, texture at day 1, and flavor, tartness, texture, appearance, overall rating at day 60; consumer acceptance; and Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) springiness values. There were differences (P < 0.05) between the low-fat and control products for final yield; days of aging; chemical composition; rancidity; consumers' purchase intent and preference; and TPA hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness values. Storage time did not affect (P > 0.05) pepperoni sensory juiciness values, but decreased sensory attributes scores (P < 0.05) of texture, appearance, and overall rating of the control product. The fat-free summer sausage products were not different (P > 0.05) from the control product in processing yield, pH, rancidity; consumer acceptance, purchase intent and preference test; TPA cohesiveness and chewiness values; and sensory attributes of flavor at days 30 and 60, and overall rating at day 60. There were differences (P < 0.05) between the fat-free and control products for cooking yield, final yield, and cooler shrink; chemical composition; Hunter Color "L" and "a" values. Sensory attributes and TPA hardness, gumminess and springiness values were different (P < 0.05) between the fat-free and control products. Storage time of summer sausage did not affect (P > 0.05) Hunter Color "a" values, tenderness, juiciness, and percent protein, yet increased (P < 0.05) tartness of all summer sausage products and lowered (P < 0.05) the appearance score of only the control product. In summary, low-fat and fat-free fermented sausage products were produced that were very acceptable and in many ways were not different from their traditional full-fat counter-parts. |
