There is a growing global trend towards the reduction of saturated fat in food, with a World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of reducing intake of such fats to less than 10% of a person’s total energy consumption. Processed meats are usually high in saturated fat and generally considered an unhealthy option. Conversely, such products are a fundamental part of the meat industry, utilizing the portion of meat which cannot be consumed as steaks. Poor diet and high intake of saturated fat can contribute to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, elevated cholesterol levels, a known risk factor in CVD, are potentially controllable by reduction and/or replacement of saturated and trans fats with polyunsaturated fats, like those commonly found in plant-based oils.
The AnimalFat+ project is developing tasty and sensorily comparable processed meat products with less animal-derived saturated fat. Such fat has been successfully replaced with unsaturated fat of plant origin, in this case rapeseed oil, to provide a healthier overall product. The sausage prototypes produced were subjected to consumer analysis and sensory assessment. Additional testing, including fatty acid content, microstructure, colour, pH and texture analysis were also performed.
Evaluation of potential health effects/benefits of the developed products is in progress. Further studies are aimed at product optimization and the potential use of oleogels as a (partial) saturated fat replacement.