Effects of feeding flaxseed to adult sheep on the fatty acid profile of freshly produced sausages

Sheep meat, especially from adult animals, is high in saturated fatty acids due to extensive biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids in their diet. This study explored how feeding sheep flaxseed could increase beneficial fatty acids in the meat and addresses a gap in the literature regarding the fatty acid profile of fresh sausages made from flaxseed-fed sheep meat. Fresh mixed sausage formulations were created with varying proportions of sheep and pork meat (100:0; 90:10; 80:20; 70:30, sheep:pork), with sheep fed a diet containing 15% flaxseed for 30, 45, and 60 days. The main fatty acids identified were oleic acid (C18:1 ω9c), palmitic acid (C16:0), and stearic acid (C18:0). The proportion of sheep meat did not significantly affect the fatty acid content of the sausages. However, sausages made with sheep meat from those fed flaxseeds for longer periods had higher levels of linolenic acid (C18:3 ω3) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, C18:2C9T11), along with a reduced ω6/ω3 ratio (4:1). TGA and DSC analyses showed lower stability and melting temperatures of fat from sausages with longer flaxseed feeding. Flaxseed inclusion in sheep diets resulted in a final product with higher nutritional value.