Healthier oils stabilized in konjac matrix as fat replacers in n−3 PUFA enriched frankfurters

Nutritional, sensory and technological properties of frankfurters as affected by reformulation processes designed to reduce fat content and improve fatty acid profile were investigated. Healthier oils stabilized in oil in water emulsion or in konjac matrix gel were used as fat replacers. Results showed that improved fat content by the replacement of pork backfat with konjac gel and by the addition of healthier oils stabilized by various different systems, both resulted in products with very similar characteristics. From a nutritional standpoint, reformulated frankfurters with konjac gel and/or added a healthier oil combination may claim “reduced fat content” and/or “high omega 3 fatty acid content” according to European Regulation, since they could contain less than 30% of the fat in the reference product and more than 0.6g of ALA/100g and more than 80mg of the sum of EPA plus DHA per 100g, respectively. Chill storage over 40days generally had little effect on the technological characteristics of frankfurters.