INSTRUMENTAL AND SENSORY MEASUREMENT OF BEEF PATTY AND SAUSAGE TEXTURE

Beef sausages and beef patties of different texture were produced by varying the fat content in the raw mix over the range 5–30%. Batter shear stress and strain increased linearly with increased fat level (P<0.09 and 0.001, respectively). Although batter shear stress was not related to sensory scores, shear strain was directly related to moistness and inversely related to grittiness scores (P<0.05). Batter sensory moistness increased and firmness and grittiness deceased linearly with fat content (P<0.001). Changes in fat content did not affect the peak force of cooked patties, and there were poor correlations between patty peak force and sensory scores. Patty juiciness and softness increased and patty cohesiveness and chewiness decreased with fat content (P<0.001). Batter cook yield increased and patty cook yield decreased with increasing fat level (P<0.001). Sensory scores, using trained panelists, were more sensitive to the effect of fat content on patty and sausage texture than instrumental measurements.