This preliminary study aims to implement circular economy concepts by reusing agro-industrial waste, such as grape pomace, for sustainable food production. It focuses on creating regional formulations to enhance local economies and biodiversity. The research investigates how grape pomace affects the colour of vegan sausages through colourimetry while promoting local companies to adopt circular practices that reduce waste and optimize resource use in sausage production and consumption. Three vegan sausage formulations were developed containing different proportions of grape pomace (F1=10, F2=20, and F3= 30%) and a control with linseed flour (C) (100%). Instrumental colour analysis revealed marked differences between the vegan formulations and the traditional control. The control sample (C) had an L* value of 40.81, which was significantly higher than the vegan formulations F1 (L*=16.22), F2 (L*=15.49), and F3 (L*=14.18). The samples containing grape pomace were visibly darker in colour (lower L* values), which can be attributed to the presence of phenolic compounds naturally present in pomace, such as anthocyanins and tannins. These compounds, in addition to contributing to the dark colour, can also confer functional characteristics to the product. There was a significant reduction in the a* (red) parameter in the vegan formulations (F1 = 4.79, F2 = 4.09, and F3 = 3.89), reflecting the absence of myoglobin, a typical pigment in meat products, and indicating a different colour profile. The b* (yellow) component was also lower in the pomace formulations (F1 = 4.95; F2 = 2.11; F3 = 1.29) compared to the flaxseed control (C = 23.04), reinforcing the tendency towards more opaque and neutral tones. Although different from traditional sausages, these visual changes may appeal to consumers who prefer natural and sustainable products. Grape pomace shows promise as an ingredient in vegan sausage formulations, offering nutritional value and supporting sustainability by reusing agro-industrial by-products.
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Preliminary evaluation of the use of grape pomace in the formulation of vegan chorizo
Published:
17 October 2025
by MDPI
in The 4th International Electronic Conference on Processes
session Environmental and Green Processes
Abstract:
Keywords: by-product, Circular economy, phenolics, sustainability.
