EFFECTS OF 3 CELLULOSE GUMS ON THE TEXTURE PROFILE AND SENSORY PROPERTIES OF LOW FAT FRANKFURTERS

Composition, textural, viscoelastic, hydration, colour, and sensory at tributes of regular and low fat pork/beef frankfurters with and withou t cellulose gums (carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and two types of micro crystalline cellulose (MCC-I and II)) were investigated. Fat was repla ced with water in the low fat products. Moisture loss during cooking w as reduced in low fat products from 10 to 6% because of the addition o f CMC; however, both MCC increased moisture loss by 12-15%. CMC additi on also increased the amount of free water. The high fat product was l ighter (higher 'L') than the reduced fat frankfurters; gums did not ap preciably change the colour. The viscoelastic properties (relaxation t ime, elastic moduli) were unaffected by the changes in fat level. Prod uct hardness, brittleness, gumminess and chewiness increased with the decrease in fat level. MCC-II improved the textural properties of the low fat product to those of the high fat product. Sensory panel result s indicated a decrease in tenderness with low fat and this was not imp roved by MCC-II. Overall, acceptability scores indicated that all the products (high and low fat) were acceptable.