Development of a plant-based double-layered emulsion system enriched with α-tocopherol for animal fat replacement in emulsified sausages

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of peanut-linseed oil-based water-in-oil-in-water (WOW) emulsions, with and without α-tocopherol, as fat replacers in frankfurter-type sausages. The research used a 3 × 2 factorial design with three levels of WOW emulsions (0 %, 50 %, 100 %) and two antioxidant concentrations (0 and 200 ppm α-tocopherol). Over 3 months of refrigerated storage, emulsions exhibited high stability, with mean droplet sizes of 4.05-4.87 μm and creaming stability exceeding 90 %. The incorporation of WOW emulsions significantly reduced total fat and cholesterol, while improving the PUFA/SFA ratio and increasing MUFA and PUFA levels. The addition of α-tocopherol enhanced oxidative stability by reducing peroxide, TBARS, and TOTOX values, which remained below sensory thresholds. Color measurements (L*, b*) increased with higher WOW levels, though a* values decreased slightly, with α-tocopherol mitigating the loss of redness. Texture parameters such as hardness and chewiness improved, especially at 50 % WOW. Sensory evaluation revealed that replacing 50 % of beef fat with WOW received the highest scores for color, texture, and overall acceptability. These results indicate that WOW emulsions combined with α-tocopherol can effectively replace animal fat, enhance lipid quality, and improve storage stability while maintaining desirable sensory attributes, offering a promising approach for healthier meat product development.

Keywords: Antioxidant; Double layered emulsion; Emulsified sausages; Healthier meat products; Lipid modification; Oxidation.