Effect of fat level and partial replacement of pork backfat with olive oil on processing and quality characteristics of fermented sausages

Six formulations of dry fermented sausages were produced in three replications with three initial fat levels (30, 20 and 10%) and two levels (0 and 20%) of pork backfat replacing olive oil. After 4 weeks of fermentation and ripening the fat content of the treatments with 30, 20 and 10% fat level ranged from 38.86 to 43.60%, 25.56 to 26.86% and 19.01 to 20.14%, respectively. Fat level affected (P<0.05) the weight losses, the chemical composition, the Gram −ve bacterial count, the lightness, the texture and the appearance of fermented sausages. Replacing 20% of pork backfat by olive oil affected (P<0.05) the lightness and yellowness of sausages. Fat-reduced sausages without olive oil and low-fat sausages with olive oil had the highest score for odour and taste. However, the appearance of fat-reduced sausages was just acceptable while that of low-fat sausages was unacceptable, because the surface was intensively wrinkled and case hardening had developed. Further research is needed to improve the appearance of these sausages.