Xanthan and locust bean gum blend in low-fat beef sausages
What it found
In sausages, adding a xanthan and locust bean gum blend improved how well the mix held together and kept fat and water in, and tasters liked it at up to 1% of the blend.
Fat, ash and protein levels stayed about the same.
What they found
Studies in people
Taste test
Tasters found the low-fat sausages with up to 1% of the gum blend satisfactory.
Other findings
Water, fat and protein
Sausages with the gum blend had slightly more moisture. The amounts of fat, ash and protein were not significantly changed.
Holding water and fat
Adding the gum blend significantly improved how well the low-fat sausages held onto water and fat, with less total fluid and fat released.
Colour
The lightness and redness of the sausages were not affected by the blend or by storage time. On day 28, the yellowness was lower in the high-fat control, the low-fat control, and the sausages with 0.5% and 1% blend than in those with 1.5% and 2% blend.
Texture
The high-fat sausages were significantly harder and chewier than the low-fat sausages, with or without the gum blend.
What the authors conclude
“These findings suggest that the XLB blend can be effectively used to improve the functional and sensory qualities of low-fat beef frankfurters, making them a viable option for healthier meat product formulations.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say the xanthan and locust bean gum blend can be effectively used to improve the functional and sensory qualities of low-fat beef frankfurters.
- They suggest this makes them a viable option for healthier meat product formulations.
How it was done
Shoppers are looking for food options they see as better for them, so the authors wanted to see if this gum blend could help make a lower-fat sausage that still holds together and tastes good.
They made beef frankfurter sausages with 10% fat and four levels of the xanthan and locust bean gum blend (0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2%). They also made two sausages without the blend: one with 20% fat and one with 10% fat. They then measured the sausages' makeup, colour, texture, how well they held water and fat, and how they tasted.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This study looked only at beef frankfurter sausages made in one batch, so the results may not apply to other foods or recipes.
- It did not measure any health effects in people who eat these sausages.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Authors work at
- Western Kentucky University, USA
The paper
- Title
- Physicochemical, textural, and sensory properties of low-fat beef sausages formulated with Xanthan-Locust bean gum blends
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Flinchum R, Massey S, Silva LHP, Khouryieh HA (2026). Physicochemical, textural, and sensory properties of low-fat beef sausages formulated with Xanthan-Locust bean gum blends. Food science and technology international = Ciencia y tecnologia de los alimentos internacional. doi:10.1177/10820132251368700PubMed 40820367DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error