Potential of dry-aged beef crust hydrolysate as a novel salt replacer in low-sodium sausages

NaCl is essential for human physiology, but excessive intake is linked to various health problems, including hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Thus, reducing NaCl in processed meats is increasingly demanded; however, NaCl is critical for key quality attributes (e.g., water-holding capacity and texture) and its characteristic flavor, creating a challenge to lower sodium without compromising product quality. Here, dry-aged beef crust was enzymatically hydrolyzed to develop a natural salt replacer for low-sodium sausages, and optimal conditions were explored by protease type (Flavourzyme, Protamex, and Neutrase, used individually or in combination) and reaction time. The hydrolysate treated by Flavourzyme (for 180 min) showed strong saltiness and weak bitterness in sensory and electronic-tongue analyses with high contents of taste-active metabolites. Replacing 17-33% of NaCl in sausages maintained color, water-holding capacity, texture, and saltiness while reducing bitterness. These findings support dry-aged beef crust hydrolysate as a natural NaCl replacer for low-sodium meat products.