Exploiting High α-Linolenic Acid Flaxseed Oil-Based Capillary Protein Oleogels for the Reformulation of Emulsified Sausage: A Study on Technological, Microstructural, and Nutritional Aspects

Replacing the animal fat in meat products, such as emulsified sausages, has garnered considerable attention due to the pursuit of improved nutritional profiles. In the present study, we aimed to develop capillary protein oleogels from high α-linolenic acid (ALA) flaxseed oil, wherein attractive protein particles exhibit behavior similar to that of natural fat crystal fractal flocs, and to investigate the possibility of replacing pork back fat in Bologna sausages by assessing technological, microstructural, nutritional profiles, and lipid oxidation stability. Our results indicate that incorporating the oleogel led to a notable increase in the protein content of reformulated sausages as well as improvement in the fatty acid profile, offering a promising avenue for improving the overall nutritional quality of sausages. Specifically, partial replacement of fat by up to 50% (CO50) using capillary protein oleogel yielded similar technological quality attributes and microstructural characteristics compared with the control sample (PF) made with pork back fat. Furthermore, these reformulated sausages (CO50) exhibited significant lipid oxidative stability, evidenced by a low peroxide value (POV) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content after 30 days of storage. These findings underscore the potential of ALA-rich capillary oleogels as effective fat substitutes in meat products, providing a pathway to produce healthier alternatives.