doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.11.025engKeenan, Derek F.Resconi, Virginia CKerry, Joseph P.Hamill, Ruth M.Modelling the influence of inulin as a fat substitute in comminuted meat products on their physico-chemical characteristics and eating quality using a mixture design approachART-2014-108118The effects of fat substitution using two commercial inulin products on the physico-chemical properties and eating quality of a comminuted meat product (breakfast sausage) were modelled using a specialised response surface experiment specially developed for mixtures. 17 treatments were assigned representing a different substitution level for fat with inulin. Sausages were formulated to contain pork shoulder, back fat/inulin, water, rusk and seasoning (44.3, 18.7, 27.5, 7 and 2.5% w/w). Composition, sensory, instrumental texture and colour characteristics were assessed. Fructan analysis showed that inulin was unaffected by heat or processing treatments. Models showed increasing inulin inclusions decreased cook loss (p < 0.0017) and improved emulsion stability (p < 0.0001) but also resulted in greater textural and eating quality modification of sausages. Hardness values increased (p < 0.0001) with increasing inulin concentration, with panellists also scoring products containing inulin as less tender (p < 0.0112). Optimisation predicted two acceptable sausage formulations with significantly lower fat levels2014http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/15009710.1016/j.meatsci.2013.11.025http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/150097oai:zaguan.unizar.es:150097Meat Science 96, 3 (2014), 1384-1394All rights reservedhttp://www.europeana.eu/rights/rr-f/info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess