The "Chorizo Zamorano" dry fermented sausage is a traditional Spanish product which is highly appreciated by consumers. This paper studies the reformulation of this product in order to improve its lipid composition and its fatty acid profile and to reduce its fat content. To achieve this, the fat used in the production of the product was partially replaced with high oleic sunflower oil in proportions of 12.5%, 20%, and 50% of the total fat content. Proximate analysis, fatty acid profiles, lipid oxidation, and sensory analysis were studied. The replacement of fat with oil showed a significant effect on the evolution of the parameters analyzed during ripening in all cases. The batches with sunflower oil presented higher levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and lower levels of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and a similar amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to the control products. The replacement of up to 20% of oil showed no significant differences for most of the physicochemical and sensory parameters analyzed at the end of the ripening.
Keywords: backfat replacement; color; fatty acid composition; fermented meat product; sensory analysis; sunflower oil; texture.