Development of an Egg Based Sausage
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Date
2011
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Uva Wellassa University of Srilanka
Abstract
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The present trend of demand is for ready to serve or ready to cook food items. Sausages have been developed as a convenient product but mostly composed of meat. Present meat and meat based food products may contain various chemicals and preservatives, which is a cause for cancer (Pearson and Gillett, 1996). Therefore, many people nowadays are reluctant to buy these products. On the other hand, absence of strong preservatives in egg-based sausages cuts down health hazards and gives safe access as foodstuffs. Investigations carried out for development of an egg based sausage by replacing the meat component of sausages with eggs has not being attempted yet. Thus, the present study was aimed at producing an egg based sausage for the people who wish to consume egg based products. Egg-based sausage can reach the optimum acceptability and nutritional requirements if developed properly and will provide a balanced diet for the consumer.
Eggs are considered as one of the highly nutritious natural products. Eggs naturally possess functional properties like good emulsifying, binding, coagulating and stabilizing abilities, which are essential characteristics in food manufacturing processes (Stadelman and Cotterill, 1996). Therefore, additives with those properties are not required to be added artificially to the manufacturing process of egg based sausages, thus the production cost can be reduced. This study was designed to develop egg based sausages using whole egg powder, egg white powder and locally available high nutritious vegetables such as carrot (Denims carota), leeks (Allan?, porrunz L.), and mushrooms (Pleurotus species), spices and additives.
Fresh eggs are not suitable in sausage production due to several problems. Fresh eggs are difficult to transport since they are bulky, fragile and highly perishable. Moreover, they cause difficulties in stuffing of the sausage mixture into the casing during processing, due to high juiciness and break when fried. Salmonella incidences are also high in raw eggs. Eggs in powder form however, provide a near complete solution to these problems. Dried egg powder could be stored and transported at room temperatures and is quite stable and has a longer shelf life.
Egg yolk powder is not suitable to be used in sausages because yolk has higher fat content and low solubility. It also incurs higher import cost and has poor functional properties such as water activity, which is higher in egg yolk powders than in whole egg powders (Joel et al., 2010). Therefore, only whole egg powder and egg white powder could be used in production of egg-based sausages.
The main objective of this study was to develop an egg based sausage as an alternative product for traditional meat sausages containing preferable characteristics such as texture, color and taste.
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Keywords
Food Science, Animal Production, Animal Production Technology, Animal Science