Reduction in the levels of salt and fat in sausages had a range of effects on the final product. Lowering fat produced products which were rated to be less dark in colour, tougher, less juicy and taste less salty than higher fat products. However, no significant preferred sample was found amongst consumers. In terms of physiochemical changes, the decrease in fat produced sausages which showed significant reduction in cooking loss and a decrease in instrumentally measured redness (a) values and yellowness (b) values in the cooked product. Texture analysis on the products showed that lower fat sausages were also harder, more springy and chewier than their high fat counterparts.
Reduction in salt produced products which consumers found to be paler in colour, with increased tenderness and greater meat flavour than higher salt containing products. Products containing 1.4% salt were significantly (P < 0.001) found to be more acceptable to consumers. This is above the FSAI/industry recommended salt concentration which is set at 1.3% salt for pork sausages; however this study also showed that products containing 1% salt were also significantly acceptable by the consumer (P < 0.01). A decrease in salt was also shown to reduce cooking loss, increase moisture content, decrease fat levels and produce a harder, springier and chewier final product than sausages with higher salt concentrations.
In conclusion fat levels can be reduced in sausages without significantly reducing product quality and overall acceptability. Salt perception is important to consumer acceptability for sausages; lowering the level of salt too low produces products that are unacceptable to the average consumer however producing a product within the limits of salt levels recommended by the FSAI is not only achievable but also can produce a superior product when rated by consumers.