The application of high-pressure treatment in the reduction of salt levels in reduced-phosphate breakfast sausages

•Many quality attributes of sausages were adversely affected when salt levels were reduced.•HP treatment increased emulsion stability and reduced cook loss compared to control sausages.•Low salt sausages maintaining organoleptic & functional properties can be made using HP-treated meat.

This study investigated the effects of high pressure (HP) treatment of pork meat before manufacturing sausages with reduced salt levels and compared them to sausages manufactured with untreated meat (control sausages). A 2 × 5 factorial design was set up incorporating two pressure levels (0 or 150 MPa) and five salt levels (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5%). Most quality attributes were affected when salt levels were reduced below 1.5%. Fat loss (FL) was (P < 0.05) affected by salt level; samples with < 1.5% salt had the highest FL. HP treatment increased emulsion stability and reduced cook loss (CL) compared to control sausages. Increased CL was observed when salt was reduced below 2.0%. Salt reduction below 1.5% adversely affected colour, sensory and texture attributes. Independent of salt, HP treatment affected adversely juiciness and cohesiveness while adhesiveness was improved. Overall, there is potential to manufacture sausages maintaining organoleptic and functional properties traditionally associated with sausages using HP treated meat.