Improving Sausage Quality with Buckwheat Flour

Abstract

The growing demand for nutritionally enhanced meat products has stimulated interest in plant-based functional ingredients. This study investigated the effect of partial pork fat replacement with buckwheat flour (Fagopyrum esculentum) at five substitution levels — 20 g, 40 g, 60 g, 80 g, and 100 g per standard batch — on the physicochemical and organoleptic properties of fresh sausages. A control formulation (lean pork: pork belly: spices, with 0 g buckwheat flour) was produced alongside five experimental variants. Chemical composition (lipid, protein, moisture, and NaCl content) was determined using a Food Check automatic analyzer according to STAS standards for fresh sausages. Organoleptic evaluation (color, smell, texture, taste, juiciness, and overall assessment) was conducted by a trained sensory panel of seven evaluators using a 10-point hedonic scale. Physicochemical analysis showed full compliance with STAS admissibility conditions across all samples. Protein content increased progressively from 15.71% (Sample 1) to 16.15% (Sample 5), surpassing the minimum requirement of 9%, while lipid content remained well below the maximum of 35%. Moisture content in experimental samples (49.14%–50.02%) was substantially lower than in the control (60%), which correlated with sensory differences in juiciness. Organoleptic assessment identified Sample 3 (60 g buckwheat flour) as the optimal formulation, achieving an overall score of 9.50/10, comparable to the control (9.80/10). Samples incorporating more than 60 g of buckwheat flour received significantly lower sensory scores, with Sample 5 rated unacceptable. The results demonstrate that buckwheat flour can be incorporated as a partial fat replacer at up to 60 g per batch without compromising sensory acceptability, while maintaining acceptable lipid levels and improving the protein balance of fresh sausages.