The incorporation of sustainable protein sources into meat products has emerged as a promising strategy to meet the growing global demand for high‐quality protein while reducing environmental impact. This study evaluated the effects of incorporating an edible insect flour blend as a partial pork replacer on the physicochemical, technological, oxidative, and microbiological properties of fresh sausages during refrigerated storage (10 days at 4°C). Formulations were produced by replacing pork meat with 0%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% of an insect flour blend composed of Zophobas morio , Acheta domesticus , Nauphoeta cinerea , and Tenebrio molitor. The inclusion of the insect flour blend significantly increased protein content at the highest level without affecting moisture, fat, or ash contents. Cooking loss remained unchanged, indicating preserved water‐ and fat‐holding capacity. However, textural profile analysis revealed increased hardness and chewiness in reformulated fresh sausages. Instrumental color was significantly affected, with reductions in lightness, redness, and yellowness, resulting in darker products. During refrigerated storage, reformulated fresh sausages exhibited improved oxidative stability, as evidenced by lower lipid oxidation levels compared to the control at later stages. Microbiological analyses indicated that edible insect flour blend incorporation did not compromise product safety and contributed to reduced mesophilic, mold, and yeast counts. Additionally, higher inclusion levels were associated with greater pH stability over storage. In this context, replacing up to 10% of pork with an edible insect flour blend proved a feasible and promising strategy for producing fresh sausages.

This study evaluated the effects of tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) pulp as a marinade on the physicochemical quality (marinade liquid uptake, water-holding capacity, cooking loss, proximate composition, water activity, pH, color, and texture), oxidative stability (lipid oxidation), microbiological characteristics (mesophilic aerobic counts, Enterobacteriaceae, Gram-positive cocci, and molds and yeasts), and sensory attributes of eye of round beef (M. semitendinosus). Three treatments were compared: non-marinated control (C), brine (B; 2.5% NaCl), and NaCl with tamarind pulp (BPT; 2.5% NaCl + tamarind pulp). Tamarind incorporation significantly reduced pH and water-holding capacity, resulting in lower moisture content and higher ash and carbohydrate levels. BPT samples exhibited increased lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) and reduced redness (a*), reflecting pigment contribution and acid-induced structural modifications. Texture profile analysis showed lower hardness and chewiness in BPT throughout storage, demonstrating improved tenderness. Lipid oxidation increased in B but remained controlled in BPT, highlighting the antioxidant potential of tamarind pulp. Tamarind selectively improved the microbiological profile by inhibiting Enterobacteriaceae and reducing mesophilic aerobic bacteria, although it was less effective in controlling molds and yeasts. Sensory evaluation showed that B treatment received the highest scores for flavor and overall acceptability, while BPT was characterized by fruity, acidic, and sweet notes, resulting in a distinctive sensory profile without reducing acceptability relative to the control. Overall, tamarind pulp substantially modulated the quality characteristics of marinated eye of round beef, providing advantages in oxidative stability, microbial control, and texture while also reducing water-holding capacity, altering color, increasing mold and yeast growth, and producing a distinctive sensory profile. These findings highlight both the potential and the limitations of tamarind pulp as a natural ingredient for clean-label meat products.