Low-fat mortadella: experimental formulations with some fat substitutes

An investigation has been conducted to test the feasibility of producing mortadella with a low fat content. The research has shown that it is possibile to produce mortadella with a fat content down to about 16% without using substances not normally employed for such a cooked pork product. With the help of fat substitutes, such as milk proteins, carrageenans and soya proteins, a fat content just lower than 14% has been obtained. Quality characteristics, for instance colour and flavour, were negatively affected in some cases but, overall, it appears that satisfactory formulations can be made. The determination of peroxide value, TBARS and cholesterol oxides has shown that there is no oxidation risk.