PHYSICAL AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF LOW‐FAT ITALIAN SAUSAGE PREPARED WITH HYDRATED OAT

ABSTRACT Low‐fat Italian sausage was prepared with hydrated oat flakes at 10, 20 and 30% (w/w), and precook times of 0, 2 and 4 min. Cook loss and expressible moisture, cutting force and texture profile analysis, color and consumer sensory analysis were analyzed by response‐surface methodology. Minimum cook loss occurred at 16.3% of the hydrated oat and 0.76 min precook time, while expressible moisture decreased with increasing oat levels and decreasing precook time. In general, both cutting force and hardness decreased with hydrated oat level. Measurements of L*, a* and b* showed a slightly lighter product and a shift to more red and yellow cooked product at intermediate oat levels and precook times. For sensory attributes, both oat level and precook time were significant. Greatest flavor and texture likeability were attained with hydrated oat levels of 3–12%, and precook times of 1.5–3 min. Greatest overall likeability occurred over a region of 0–14% hydrated oat, and 1.1–3.3 min precook time.