Quality Characteristics of Functional Chicken Meat Sausages Enriched With Omega-3-Fatty Acids

Abstract

Background: Limited information is available on the enrichment of omega-3 fatty acids and their stability in poultry products during their processing and preservation. Keeping this on view, the present study was undertaken to develop chicken meat sausages enriched with omega-3 fatty acids by incorporation of flax seed oil at different levels. Methods: The present investigation on standardization of the different levels of flax seed oil (2, 4 and 6%) on various physico-chemical, proximate, omega-3-fatty acid profile and sensory scores of functional chicken meat sausages was investigated. The developed functional chicken meat sausages were analyzed for various quality characteristics like physico-chemical (cooking yield, emulsion stability, water holding capacity, pH and hardness and proximate composition, omega-3-fatty acid profile and sensory evaluation. Result: Chicken meat sausages added with 6% flax seed oil (T3) had significantly (P less than 0.05) higher cooking yield, emulsion stability, water holding capacity, protein and fat than control and remaining formulations. In the same line, chicken meat sausages added with 6% flax seed oil (T3) had lower SFA values and higher MUFA values, n-6 PUFA and n-3 PUFA values, n6 PUFA/n3 PUFA ratio and PUFA/SFA ratio and superior sensory scores than control and other formulations. The addition of flax seed oil to chicken meat sausages improved the healthy fatty acid profile.