Quality characteristics of functional chicken meat sausages enriched with omega-3-fatty acids

Limited information is available on the enrichment of omega-3 fatty acids and their stability in poultry products during their processing and preservation. Keeping this on view, the present study was undertaken to develop chicken meat sausages enriched with omega-3 fatty acids by incorporation of flax seed oil at different levels.

The present investigation on standardization of the different levels of flax seed oil (2, 4 and 6%) on various physico-chemical, proximate, omega-3-fatty acid profile and sensory scores of functional chicken meat sausages was investigated. The developed functional chicken meat sausages were analyzed for various quality characteristics like physico-chemical (cooking yield, emulsion stability, water holding capacity, pH and hardness and proximate composition, omega-3-fatty acid profile and sensory evaluation.

Chicken meat sausages added with 6% flax seed oil (T3) had significantly (P<0.05) higher cooking yield, emulsion stability, water holding capacity, protein and fat than control and remaining formulations. In the same line, chicken meat sausages added with 6% flax seed oil (T3) had lower SFA values and higher MUFA values, n-6 PUFA and n-3 PUFA values, n6 PUFA/n3 PUFA ratio and PUFA/SFA ratio and superior sensory scores than control and other formulations. The addition of flax seed oil to chicken meat sausages improved the healthy fatty acid profile.