Quinoa mutton sausage and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a quinoa mutton sausage and a preparation method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of mutton sausage processing. The invention aims to solve the problems of high cooking loss, loose texture, poor flavor fusion and the like caused by insufficient combination of the quinoa flour and a meat paste system when the quinoa flour is added into the mutton sausage. According to the technical scheme, the method is characterized in that before quinoa flour is mixed with main and auxiliary materials such as minced mutton, the quinoa flour is subjected to a key pretreatment: the quinoa flour is placed in a closed container, mixed gas of carbon dioxide and nitrogen under certain temperature, humidity and pressure conditions is introduced for treatment, and after treatment is completed, closed cooling is performed for standby application. The method is mainly used for preparing a chenopodium quinoa willd addition type mutton sausage product which is more compact in texture, better in water-retaining property and coordinated in flavor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mutton sausage. More specifically, this invention relates to a quinoa mutton sausage and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] In the lamb sausage industry, grain or plant protein adjuvants are sometimes added to the formula to improve the nutritional structure or adjust costs. Quinoa, as a grain with high nutritional value, has attracted attention for its application. However, adding it directly to lamb sausages in powder form presents some technical challenges in practice.

[0003] First, quinoa flour itself has strong water absorption, but when mixed directly with minced meat, the absorption and distribution of water often fails to achieve a rapid and even distribution. This can lead to uneven water activity inside the sausage, causing water to easily escape from loosely bonded areas during subsequent heating, resulting in a high cooking loss rate, reduced product yield, and ultimately, a sausage that tends to be dry and hard. Furthermore, irregular air pockets may appear on the cut surface, affecting the firmness and integrity of the texture.

[0004] Secondly, the addition of quinoa flour may interfere with the formation of the heat-induced gel network of meat proteins. If the mixing process is improper, the emulsification stability of the minced meat will be affected, leading to a decrease in its ability to retain fat and moisture. This not only exacerbates cooking losses but also deteriorates the product's texture, resulting in insufficient elasticity, poor chewiness, and even a loose or powdery texture.

[0005] Furthermore, how to organically combine the flavor of quinoa with the flavor of lamb while minimizing the inherent gamey smell of lamb is also a challenge. Simple physical mixing may not achieve effective flavor fusion, and the product may have flavor separation or residual off-flavors.

[0006] To address the aforementioned issues, attempts have been made in this field to adjust the particle size of quinoa flour, change the addition ratio, or optimize mixing process parameters. However, while improving one indicator (such as texture), these methods often adversely affect other indicators (such as water retention), making it difficult to achieve simultaneous and stable improvements in sensory quality, processing performance, and textural properties. Therefore, a method is needed to systematically mitigate the negative impact of quinoa addition on the quality of lamb sausages. Summary of the Invention

[0007] One object of the present invention is to solve at least the above-mentioned problems and to provide at least the advantages that will be described later.

[0008] To achieve these objectives and other advantages according to the present invention, a method for preparing quinoa and mutton sausage is provided. The quinoa and mutton sausage is prepared from main ingredients and auxiliary ingredients. The main ingredients include: 100 parts of mutton and quinoa flour in total, wherein the mutton has a fat-to-lean ratio of 2:8 and the quinoa flour has 2-6 parts; the auxiliary ingredients include: 1.5-2.5 parts of salt and other food science acceptable auxiliary ingredients. The preparation method includes the following steps: Trim and mince the mutton; Mix the minced mutton with quinoa powder, salt and other seasonings evenly. Stuff the mixed meat mixture into sausage casings; The stuffed sausages are then steamed. Before the step of mixing the minced mutton with quinoa powder, salt, and other auxiliary ingredients evenly, the quinoa powder is pretreated as follows: Place quinoa powder in a sealed container and pass a mixture of CO2 and N2 at a temperature of 60-80℃ and a humidity of 60-80% for 15-30 minutes. The treatment pressure is 0.1-0.3MPa and the volume ratio of CO2 to N2 in the mixture is (1:3)-(3:1). After processing, cool the quinoa powder to room temperature in a sealed environment for later use.

[0009] Preferably, the auxiliary materials also include: 2 parts white sugar, 0.25 parts ginger powder, 0.25 parts cumin powder, 0.25 parts five-spice powder, 0.2 parts monosodium glutamate, 0.2 parts red yeast rice powder, 0.1 parts pepper powder, 0.5 parts white wine, 0.3 parts konjac powder, and 0.3 parts carrageenan.

[0010] Preferably, the pretreatment of quinoa flour also includes: The pressure-treated quinoa powder is mixed with ice water at a temperature of 4-10℃ at a weight ratio of 1:(2.5-3.5). At the same time, 30-50% of the weight of konjac powder and 30-50% of the weight of carrageenan are added. Under a vacuum of -0.06 to -0.09 MPa, the mixture is homogenized at a speed of 2000-4000 rpm for 2-4 minutes to form a homogeneous quinoa pretreated paste. The paste is then allowed to stand and mature at 4℃ for 20-40 minutes.

[0011] Preferably, the step of mixing the minced mutton with quinoa flour, salt, and other seasonings evenly includes: Divide the mutton mince into three portions with a weight ratio of 6:3:1. First, place the first portion of minced mutton, quinoa pre-treated paste, all the salt and white wine into a chopper. Chop at 1000-1500 rpm for 1-2 minutes at 8-12℃, then switch to 3000-4000 rpm for 3-5 minutes to form a primary emulsified paste. Then, add the second portion of mutton paste and the remaining auxiliary ingredients to the primary emulsified paste, and chop at 2000-2500 rpm for 2-3 minutes at 8-12℃. Finally, add the third portion of minced mutton and chop it at 800-1200 rpm for 1-2 minutes at the same temperature until it is evenly mixed, thus obtaining the final sausage mince.

[0012] Preferably, the amount of quinoa powder added is 4 parts.

[0013] Preferably, the amount of salt added is 2 parts.

[0014] Preferably, the steaming time is 14 minutes.

[0015] The present invention also provides quinoa and mutton sausage prepared by the above-described preparation method.

[0016] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: Firstly, in terms of sensory quality, this invention effectively improves the flavor and texture of traditional lamb sausages through the pretreatment of quinoa flour and an optimized meat paste emulsification process. Specifically, after quinoa flour is treated with a CO2 and N2 mixed gas at a specific temperature and humidity, its flavor and structure are optimized, allowing it to better integrate with lamb and significantly reducing and masking the inherent muttony smell. Combined with a segmented chopping and mixing process, the meat paste, quinoa, water, and auxiliary ingredients form a uniform and delicate emulsified system. The final product has a moderate saltiness, delicious flavor, smooth and elastic texture, dense structure, intact slices, and high overall acceptability.

[0017] Secondly, in terms of processing performance and yield, this invention exhibits excellent water retention and low cooking loss. The gas treatment of quinoa flour combined with ice-water homogenization, along with the premixing of konjac flour and carrageenan, constructs a stable gel network structure, significantly improving the water-holding capacity of the minced meat. This results in a substantial reduction in the loss of moisture and flavor compounds during sausage cooking, a significantly lower cooking loss rate, and a significantly improved water retention. This not only increases product yield but also makes the sausage juicier and helps maintain flavor stability.

[0018] Furthermore, in terms of textural properties, the process of this invention comprehensively optimizes the texture of the sausage. Through precise process control, the final product's hardness is moderately reduced, while its elasticity, chewiness, and resilience are significantly enhanced. This indicates that a more uniform and resilient three-dimensional network structure is formed inside the sausage, thus providing an ideal texture that is tender yet chewy, overcoming problems such as roughness, excessive hardness, or excessive looseness that may exist in traditional products.

[0019] In summary, this invention not only successfully introduces nutrient-rich quinoa into lamb sausages, enhancing the product's nutritional value, such as dietary fiber, but more importantly, it systematically solves technical bottlenecks in flavor, texture, water retention, and consistency through an integrated and innovative process. The resulting sausages exhibit excellent sensory quality, good processing stability, and high yield, demonstrating promising prospects for industrial production and strong market competitiveness.

[0020] Other advantages, objectives and features of the present invention will become apparent in part from the following description, and in part from those skilled in the art through study and practice of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments, so that those skilled in the art can implement it based on the description.

[0022] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the experimental methods described in the following implementation plan are all conventional methods, and the reagents and materials described are all commercially available unless otherwise specified.

[0023] <Example 1> A method for preparing quinoa and mutton sausage, comprising main ingredients and auxiliary ingredients. The main ingredients include: 100 parts mutton and quinoa flour in total, wherein the mutton has a fat-to-lean ratio of 2:8 and the quinoa flour has 4 parts; the auxiliary ingredients include: 2 parts salt, 2 parts white sugar, 0.25 parts ginger powder, 0.25 parts cumin powder, 0.25 parts five-spice powder, 0.2 parts monosodium glutamate, 0.2 parts red yeast rice powder, 0.1 parts pepper powder, 0.5 parts white wine, 0.3 parts konjac flour, and 0.3 parts carrageenan. The preparation method includes the following steps: Trim and mince the mutton; Mix the minced mutton with quinoa powder, salt and other seasonings evenly. The mixed meat is stuffed into natural sheep casings; After the sausages are stuffed, put them into cold water and cook for 14 minutes after the water boils. After cooking, remove the sausages and let them cool to obtain the finished product.

[0024] Before the step of mixing the minced mutton with quinoa powder, salt, and other auxiliary ingredients evenly, the quinoa powder is pretreated as follows: Quinoa powder was placed in a sealed container and treated with a mixture of CO2 and N2 at 70°C and 70% humidity for 20 minutes at a pressure of 0.2 MPa. The volume ratio of CO2 to N2 in the mixed gas was 1:2. After processing, cool the quinoa powder to room temperature in a sealed environment for later use.

[0025] <Example 2> The process is basically the same as in Example 1, except that the pretreatment of quinoa flour further includes: The pressure-treated quinoa powder was mixed with ice water at 4°C at a weight ratio of 1:3. At the same time, 40% of the weight of konjac powder and 40% of the weight of carrageenan were added. The mixture was homogenized at 3000 rpm for 3 minutes under a vacuum of -0.07 MPa to form a homogeneous quinoa pretreated paste. The paste was then allowed to stand and mature at 4°C for 30 minutes.

[0026] <Example 3> The process is basically the same as in Example 2, except that the step of mixing the minced mutton with quinoa powder, salt, and other auxiliary ingredients evenly includes: Divide the mutton mince into three portions with a weight ratio of 6:3:1. First, place the first portion of minced mutton, quinoa pre-treated paste, all the salt and white wine into a chopper. Chop at 1200 rpm for 2 minutes at 10°C, then switch to 3500 rpm for 4 minutes to form a primary emulsified paste. Then, add the second portion of mutton paste and the remaining auxiliary ingredients to the primary emulsified paste, and chop at 2200 rpm for 2 minutes at 10°C. Finally, add the third portion of minced mutton and chop it at 800 rpm for 2 minutes at the same temperature until it is evenly mixed, thus obtaining the final sausage mince.

[0027] <Comparative Example 1> A method for preparing quinoa and mutton sausage, comprising main ingredients and auxiliary ingredients. The main ingredients include: 100 parts mutton and quinoa flour in total, wherein the mutton has a fat-to-lean ratio of 2:8 and the quinoa flour has 4 parts; the auxiliary ingredients include: 2 parts salt, 2 parts white sugar, 0.25 parts ginger powder, 0.25 parts cumin powder, 0.25 parts five-spice powder, 0.2 parts monosodium glutamate, 0.2 parts red yeast rice powder, 0.1 parts pepper powder, 0.5 parts white wine, 0.3 parts konjac flour, and 0.3 parts carrageenan. The preparation method includes the following steps: Trim and mince the mutton; Mix the minced mutton with quinoa powder, salt and other seasonings evenly. The mixed meat is stuffed into natural sheep casings; After the sausages are stuffed, put them into cold water and cook for 14 minutes after the water boils. After cooking, remove the sausages and let them cool to obtain the finished product.

[0028] Sensory evaluation A sensory evaluation panel of six food science students who had received sensory evaluation training was formed, and the evaluation was conducted according to the standards in Table 1 below: Table 1 <Determination of Cooking Loss> The cooking loss rate (%) is calculated using the following formula: m1 is the mass of the sausage before steaming, in grams; m2 is the mass of the sausage after steaming or cooking, in grams.

[0029] <Water Retention Test> The water retention capacity of sausages was determined according to the method described in "The Influence of Shallot Polysaccharides and Shallot Flavonoids on the Quality of Chinese Sausages".

[0030] <Textural Properties Determination> The sausages were sliced ​​to obtain sausage samples with a diameter of 18 mm and a height of 20 mm. The texture analyzer was calibrated, and the hardness, elasticity, chewiness, and resilience of the quinoa and lamb sausages were tested using a TA / 1 in probe and the TPA mode of the texture analyzer. Parameter settings: pre-test rate 2 mm / s, test rate 1 mm / s, post-test rate 2 mm / s, compression degree 30%, two compressions at 5-second intervals, automatic triggering, trigger force 5 g.

[0031] <Results and Discussion> Each example / comparative example was tested three times, and all test results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation, calculated using Microsoft Excel 2016.

[0032] The sensory evaluation results are shown in Table 2 below: Table 2 The cooking loss rate (%) results are shown in Table 3 below: Table 3 The results of water retention (%) are shown in Table 4 below: Table 4 The textural properties are shown in Table 5 below: Table 5 Based on the comparison and analysis of the experimental data of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example 1, it can be clearly seen that the quinoa flour pretreatment and segmented chopping process proposed in this invention has a systematic effect on improving the quality of quinoa mutton sausage.

[0033] In terms of sensory evaluation, the overall acceptance of the sausage showed a steady upward trend as the process steps were gradually improved. Comparative Example 1, which only used a basic mixing process, had relatively low flavor and texture scores, especially retaining a slight muttony smell, and there was room for improvement in texture elasticity. Example 1 showed improved flavor and texture after introducing CO2 / N2 mixed gas pretreatment of quinoa flour; Example 2 further added ice water homogenization and colloid premixing steps, achieving a perfect score in flavor and further improving texture; Example 3 optimized the segmented chopping process of minced meat based on the previous examples, ultimately achieving a perfect score in both flavor and texture, and maintaining a consistently excellent texture and color. This indicates that the present invention, through the modification of the physical properties of quinoa flour and the refined control of the chopping process, effectively masks the inherent muttony smell and enhances the overall flavor profile and texture of the sausage.

[0034] Based on the data on cooking loss rate and water retention, process optimization significantly enhances the water-holding capacity of sausages. Comparative Example 1 showed the highest cooking loss rate (7.2%) and the lowest water retention (91.0%), indicating significant loss of moisture and flavor compounds during cooking. With the gradual introduction of pretreatment, homogenization, and chopping processes, the cooking loss rate gradually decreased, reaching 5.2% in Example 3, while the water retention improved to 94.5%. This change is mainly attributed to the fact that quinoa flour, after being treated with warm and humid gas, more easily forms a stable hydration system; the early intervention of some colloids during ice-water homogenization further strengthens the gel network; and segmented chopping promotes the uniform emulsification of proteins, water, and lipids, thereby better maintaining system stability and reducing juice loss during heating.

[0035] From the textural data, the textural properties of the sausage exhibited a regular change as the processing steps were gradually improved. Regarding hardness, Comparative Example 1 had the highest hardness (1321.45 g), while the hardness of Examples 1 to 3 gradually decreased, with Example 3 dropping to 1175.68 g. This indicates that the optimized process made the sausage texture more tender, possibly due to better emulsification and moisture distribution resulting from quinoa flour pretreatment and segmented chopping. Adhesion (absolute value) gradually decreased, indicating reduced surface stickiness and a smoother texture. Elasticity increased from 0.79 in Comparative Example 1 to 0.86 in Example 3, and chewiness also increased from 721.03 g to 799.24 g, indicating a more resilient and chewy internal structure. Adhesion gradually decreased, consistent with the trend in hardness, further confirming a finer texture. Cohesiveness and resilience both gradually increased, indicating a tighter internal binding of the minced meat, enhanced ability of the sausage to recover its original shape after pressure, and a fuller and more elastic overall texture. These changes corroborate the improved taste scores and optimized texture in the sensory evaluation, indicating that the process of this invention can effectively improve the textural quality of sausages, making them more elastic and tender while maintaining appropriate firmness.

[0036] In summary, this invention significantly improves the overall quality of quinoa and lamb sausages through CO2 / N2 mixed gas pretreatment of quinoa flour, ice-water homogenization and colloid premixing, and segmented chopping and emulsification of minced lamb. The optimized process represented in Example 3 demonstrates the best performance in terms of sensory properties, water retention, and texture, indicating that this integrated process not only effectively enhances product flavor and texture but also improves processing performance and yield, possessing good production applicability and market potential.

[0037] Although embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed above, they are not limited to the applications listed in the specification and embodiments. They can be applied to various fields suitable for the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other modifications can be easily made. Therefore, without departing from the general concept defined by the claims and their equivalents, the present invention is not limited to the specific details and embodiments shown and described herein.

Claims

1. A method for preparing quinoa and mutton sausage, characterized in that, Quinoa and mutton sausage is made from main ingredients and auxiliary ingredients. The main ingredients include 100 parts mutton and quinoa flour in total, with the mutton having a fat-to-lean ratio of 2:8 and the quinoa flour having 2-6 parts. The auxiliary ingredients include 1.5-2.5 parts salt and other food-grade acceptable auxiliary ingredients. The auxiliary ingredients also include 2 parts white sugar, 0.25 parts ginger powder, 0.25 parts cumin powder, 0.25 parts five-spice powder, 0.2 parts monosodium glutamate, 0.2 parts red yeast rice powder, 0.1 parts pepper powder, 0.5 parts white wine, 0.3 parts konjac flour, and 0.3 parts carrageenan. The preparation method includes the following steps: Trim and mince the mutton; Mix the minced mutton with quinoa powder, salt and other seasonings evenly. Stuff the mixed meat mixture into sausage casings; The stuffed sausages are then steamed. Before the step of mixing the minced mutton with quinoa powder, salt, and other auxiliary ingredients evenly, the quinoa powder is pretreated as follows: Place quinoa powder in a sealed container and pass a mixture of CO2 and N2 at a temperature of 60-80℃ and a humidity of 60-80% for 15-30 minutes. The treatment pressure is 0.1-0.3MPa and the volume ratio of CO2 to N2 in the mixture is (1:3)-(3:1). After processing, cool the quinoa powder to room temperature in a sealed container for later use. The pretreatment of quinoa flour also includes: The pressure-treated quinoa powder is mixed with ice water at a temperature of 4-10℃ at a weight ratio of 1:(2.5-3.5). At the same time, 30-50% of the weight of konjac powder and 30-50% of the weight of carrageenan are added. Under a vacuum of -0.06 to -0.09 MPa, the mixture is homogenized at a speed of 2000-4000 rpm for 2-4 minutes to form a homogeneous quinoa pretreated paste. The paste is then allowed to stand and mature at 4℃ for 20-40 minutes.

2. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for mixing the minced mutton with quinoa powder, salt, and other seasonings include: Divide the mutton mince into three portions with a weight ratio of 6:3:

1. First, place the first portion of minced mutton, quinoa pre-treated paste, all the salt and white wine into a chopper. Chop at 1000-1500 rpm for 1-2 minutes at 8-12℃, then switch to 3000-4000 rpm for 3-5 minutes to form a primary emulsified paste. Then, add the second portion of mutton paste and the remaining auxiliary ingredients to the primary emulsified paste, and chop at 2000-2500 rpm for 2-3 minutes at 8-12℃. Finally, add the third portion of minced mutton and chop it at 800-1200 rpm for 1-2 minutes at the same temperature until it is evenly mixed, thus obtaining the final sausage mince.

3. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The amount of quinoa powder added is 4 parts.

4. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The amount of salt added is 2 parts.

5. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steaming time is 14 minutes.

6. Quinoa and mutton sausage prepared by any one of the preparation methods described in claims 1-5.

Images