Cold-set or hot-set emulsion gels consisted of a healthy oil blend to replace beef fat in heat-treated fermented sausages

The current work aimed to investigate the utilization of gelled emulsion (GE) systems stabilized either with cold or hot gelation consisted of peanut and linseed oils as fat replacers in fermented beef sausages. The reformulation provided a healthier lipid profile, that led to decreasing total lipid content, cholesterol, and SFAs (from 46.6% to 23.5%) meanwhile increasing both MUFAs (from 47.3% to 51.0%) and PUFAs (from 4.7% to 25.4%) as well as improving nutritional ratios (ω-6/ω-3, PUFA/SFA, IA, and IT). Cold-set GE caused less significant changes in instrumental color and protected PUFAs compared with hot-set GE, whereas hot-set GE provided advantages over cold-set GE in terms of microstructure, purge loss, and sensory scores. Replacement of beef fat fully by a hot-set GE system instead of using a fat-GE mixture was effective in reducing oxidation. The results demonstrated that utilization of different GE systems can be an effective strategy to contribute to the development of lipid-modified fermented meat products. •Peanut and linseed oil emulsion gels were used for lipid modification in sausages.•Gelled emulsions (GEs) decreased saturated fats and improved nutritional ratios.•Cold-set GE led less significant changes in instrumental color and protected PUFAs.•Hot-set GE provided advantages in sensory scores and storage stability.•GE systems were noted as promising fat replacers in fermented meat products.