German Scientists Develop "Omega-3 Sausage"

German scientists have developed a new kind of sausage: One that is enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, which was made possible by a specifically developed and patented technology. The invention, which is now already available in supermarkets and even comes in nine variations, of course including Bratwurst, is a reaction to the problem that Germans do not eat enough fish. And that despite being aware of the fact that omega-3, contained in fatty salt-water fish, is an important component of a healthy diet in humans.

The human body needs fat, both to repair cells and to store energy. Omega-3 fatty acids are especially important. They play a particularly large role when the body is regenerating heart, brain, and nerve cells. Especially valuable are unsaturated fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Not only are they easily absorbed into cells, they also have an anti-inflammatory effect. “Unlike saturated varieties, which are present in butter for example, unsaturated fatty acids are capable of reacting in the body,” said Christian Zacherl from the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in the Bavarian town of Freising in a release. “This is because of their molecular structure, which enables them to capture and neutralize pro-inflammatory substances.”

Unable to produce these important fatty acids by itself, the human body has to absorb them from food. DHA and EPA are present, for example, in fatty salt-water fish such as herring, salmon, and mackerel. But according to a current survey commissioned by major German food retailer EDEKA, Germans know that omega-3 fatty acids are important and that fish contain them in a particularly high-value form, but don't eat the recommended weekly amount of 150 to 220 grams of fish. “We thought that the surest way to solve this problem would be to increase the amount of effective fatty acids in popular foods that people eat in large quantities, such as pizza, pasta, bread, and sausages,” says project manager Dr. Peter Eisner, describing Fraunhofer IVV’s approach. “First, though, we had to deal with the fish smell issue.”

Omega-3 fatty acids are virtually odorless in their natural form as they occur for instance in fresh fish or fish oil. If they come into contact with oxygen, however, they oxidize. The resulting degradation products have two drawbacks: the quality of the original substance diminishes and a fishy smell is produced. What was needed, therefore, was a process that locked in the precious fatty acids and protected them against oxidization. “This is what we achieved by means of a special emulsion system,” explains Zacherl. “It optimally combines the effects of various anti-oxidants with each other.” Some of the substances used are directly responsible for oxidization protection, while others support the effects of the first group, andn  yet others eliminate substances that accelerate the degradation process in fatty acids. “The oxygen has to clear a lot of hurdles before it can react with the omega-3 fatty acids. Thanks to our method, the fatty acids remain stable and can be incorporated into a variety of foods. The emulsion can be adapted specifically to individual products. All we have to do, effectively, is vary the number and type of hurdles,” says Zacherl. Fraunhofer IVV has patented its technology (www.triomeg.de).

In conjunction with EDEKA, Fraunhofer IVV has now exclusively launched the first of these products: the omega-3 sausage, which has been on the market since mid-April and is produced in EDEKA meat processing plants. The food retailer has included the omega-3 sausage in its own-brand range and is initially offering nine different varieties.