INFLUENCE OF BACTERIAL STARTER CULTURES ON ENHANCING THE BIOLOGICAL VALUE OF MEAT IN FRANKFURTER SAUSAGE PRODUCTION

The study demonstrates the effectiveness of incorporating a bacterial starter culture, oat bran, and pumpkin seed oil to enhance the nutritional and biological value of small sausages, with optimal inclusion rates of 2% each of the three per 100% of raw materials. The relevance of this research is underscored by the need to develop next-generation food products, driven by growing consumer demand for healthy foods aligned with nutrition science principles.The study aimed to evaluate the impact of incorporating oat bran, pumpkin seed oil, and a bacterial starter culture on improving the nutritional and biological value of small sausages.To achieve the objective, three experimental frankfurter formulations were developed, incorporating a bacterial starter culture and oat bran at varying concentrations (1%, 2%, and 3%). Furthermore, beef was replaced with dietary chicken and turkey meat, while raw fat was substituted with pumpkin seed oil.Research results showed that the use of oat bran and pumpkin seed oil in the amount of 2% reduced the fat content in frankfurters by 8%, a 27% increase in water-binding capacity, a 7% increase in product yield, and a 19.5% improvement in water-holding capacity, indicating improved physicochemical characteristics and functional-technological properties of the sausages. The juiciness of the frankfurters, their creamy taste and aroma, a significant increase in plasticity, and a decrease in the penetration stress values from 9.6 kPa in the control sample to 3.5 kPa in the test sample confirm the positive effect of the selected ingredients on the organoleptic and structural-mechanical characteristics of the developed frankfurters, based on sensory evaluation, plasticity, and penetration measurements.The incorporation of a lactic acid bacterial starter culture, followed by a 30-min holding period of the meat batter, increased the bioavailability of amino acids in meat proteins. The total amino acid content increased by 0.057 mg/100 g, including a 0.0243 mg/100 g increase in essential amino acids, compared with the meat batter without the holding period.The experimental findings confirm the expediency of incorporating a bacterial starter culture, oat bran, and pumpkin seed oil at the determined optimal ratio to enhance the nutritional and biological value of the frankfurters.Received 12.06.2026, accepted 28.07.2026, published 22.09.2026