Frozen storage of Bologna sausages as a function of fat content and of levels of added starch and egg white

The effect of freezing and frozen storage on the water holding capacity (WHC) and texture of Bologna sausages formulated with varying fat levels (7.2, 12.8 and 20.1%) and with different proportions of added starch (0, 5 and 10%) and egg white (EW) (0, 1.5 and 3%) was studied. High-fat sausages exhibited better binding properties than low-fat sausages. Freezing and frozen storage caused binding properties to deteriorate, the more so the lower the fat content. In general, addition of starch caused an increase in penetration force and a decrease in elasticity of sausages, and also favoured freeze-thaw stability. Addition of egg white had no influence (p>0.05) on the WHC of Bologna sausages but did influence texture.Peer Reviewe