An in-line optical technology to control the emulsification degree in a continuous industrial emulsifier for meat sausage production

The stability of comminuted products plays an important role in the economy of meat industries. Proper formulation and the establishment of suitable emulsification conditions can significantly contribute to cooking losses control. The purpose of this research was to study the relationship between light backscatter parameters and cooking losses and develop prediction models that would allow the optimization of the emulsification process in a continuous industrial emulsifier. The optical response of meat emulsions, produced at industrial scale, depended drastically on the formulation (with and without starch) and the degree of emulsification. Furthermore, formula with starch showed significantly lower cooking losses than formula without starch, but for both formulas, several optical parameters correlated with cooking losses. Models for the prediction of cooking losses with R² values > 0.999 were obtained with five or six statistically significant optical predictors depending on the formula. These results point out the potential of light backscatter technology as a control tool during emulsification.