Effects of palm stearin and seaweed powder (Kappaphycus alvarezii) on thequality of reduced-fat chicken sausages

Consumption of meat products is associated with various health problems due to the high animal fat content in their formulation. The incorporation of additives is one of the strategies being studied to reduce saturated fat levels while maintaining the quality of meat products. This study examined the effects of palm stearin (PS) and Kappaphycus alvarezii powder (KAP) on the nutrient composition, physicochemical properties, sensory evaluation, and lipid oxidation of chicken sausage. Five chicken sausage formulations, namely control sausage containing 12% chicken fat (CF), F1 (6% chicken fat), F2 (3% chicken fat), F3 (6% palm stearin), and F4 (3% palm stearin), were produced. The control sausages had no seaweed, while F1 to F4 contained KAP. Adding KAP and palm stearin significantly increased the pH value, moisture, and ash content of the sausages (p<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the protein level (p>0.05). Furthermore, substituting CF with 2% KAP and 3% palm stearin resulted in the lowest fat content among the formulations (p<0.05). When compared to the control sample, the sausages with KAP and PS exhibited lower cooking loss and extracted water (p<0.05), which may be due to improved emulsion stability (p<0.05). At 3% and 6% PS concentrations, the sausages showed higher lightness, with reduced redness and yellowness values. The incorporation of both PS and KAP also significantly increased hardness, chewiness, and adhesiveness values but it reduced the cohesiveness value (p<0.05). Meanwhile, no significant difference was observed in springiness among the formulations (p>0.05). Among all formulations, F3 garnered the highest preference from sensory panellists, possibly attributed to its well-received texture and juiciness. Additionally, F3 demonstrated superior storage stability, indicated by a lower TBARS value. In conclusion, KAP and PS exhibit the potential for use as fat substitutes in producing reduced-fat sausages.