Effects of Fat Replacement by Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) on the Physicochemical, Textural, and Sensory Properties of Reduced-Fat Soy Sausages

Abstract

In this study, we developed a meat-free sausage using soy protein isolates, without the extrusion processing used in meat alternatives. To improve the texture of soy sausages, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) was added to the soy sausages, and the physicochemical, textural, and sensory properties we compared to that of gluten-added soy sausages. Soy sausages showed a higher moisture content (71.66 +/- 74.05%) than meat sausages (55%). For the fatty acid composition, meat sausages showed long-chain fatty acids, while soy sausages showed short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids. The addition of HPMC either decreased or retained the hardness of the soy sausages, depending on the level of HPMC (23.54 +/- 31.82 N). In particular, HPMC-added soy sausages exhibited a similar microstructure to that of gluten-added soy sausages, with a smooth outer layer of connective matrix. In the consumer test conducted using check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions, HPMC-added soy sausages appeared to be yellow, gelatinous, and tender in terms of appearance, flavor, and texture, respectively, and were found to be the most preferred samples by consumers compared to meat or soy sausages containing gluten. Based on these results, HPMC seems to improve the overall textural properties of soy sausages, particularly hardness and chewiness, compared to meat sausages or gluten-added soy sausages.