VALORIZATION OF CHICKPEAS AS A PLANT-BASED PROTEIN IN OBTAINING PORK SAUSAGES.

In the context of the current trend for a healthy life, more and more emphasis is placed on the partial replacement of meat-based foods with plant-based foods. This is difficult due to the need for more consumer awareness of the benefits of rebalancing diets in favor of vegetable proteins, thereby explaining the low consumption rate of these alternative products. This work aimed to demonstrate that partially replacing meat with vegetable proteins can improve nutritional properties while maintaining high sensory properties. The use of vegetable proteins in processed meat systems is regulated in most countries, but regulations differ considerably from country to country. Vegetable proteins with a low-fat content are ideal for use in meat products. The objective of this study was to partially replace the meat with vegetable proteins from chickpeas (10%, 20% and 30%, respectively) in the formulation of a new type of sausage and to compare the characteristics of these new formulations with the complete meat sample. The products obtained were characterized from a physico-chemical and sensory point of view. The physico-chemical characteristics followed were emulsion stability and cooking loss, determination of the content of moisture %, lipids %, proteins %, chloride content %, calculation of carbohydrate content and energy value. In addition to the physico-chemical evaluation, a sensory analysis was carried out to assess consumer acceptability of substituting animal raw materials with vegetable proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]