Utilization of protein fractions from Porcine Spleen as Technofunctional Ingredients in Emulsified Cooked Meat Sausages

Spleen is a low commercial value meat by‐product from industrial slaughterhouses that is mostly underutilised. In this study, porcine spleens were processed to obtain two protein fractions (i.e. soluble and insoluble extracts in sodium citrate buffer 0.1 m pH 5) and the potential of using them to replace functional ingredients in cooked sausages was assessed. Specifically, a pasteurised insoluble protein extract was used as soy protein replacer in mortadella‐type sausages, whereas spray‐dried soluble proteins were used instead of sodium caseinate in Frankfurt‐type sausages. Both splenic extracts performed well as functional ingredients since no differences in proximate composition, emulsion stability, water‐holding capacity or texture were found. The only differences were found in the colour of the sausages containing the soluble protein extract, because of the haem and myoglobin content in this ingredient. The results showed that spleens could be a suitable source of non‐allergenic functional proteins for meat products.