Abstract
Functional components from animal by-products fortified by plant-based functional ingredients constitute a contemporary strategy that is congruent with the objectives of clean-label reformulation. This research examined a cooked sausage matrix fortified with hydrolyzed collagen (5–15%) and cranberry powder (1–3%). The sausages were evaluated in terms of hardness, cohesiveness, color stability, total antioxidant capacity (FRAP), and sensory profile. A full 3 × 3 design incorporated second-order response surfaces and composite desirability. It made it possible to quantify the effects of factors via response surface methodology. Cranberry powder predominantly enhanced color stability and FRAP across the factor space, while hydrolyzed collagen primarily modulated hardness, cohesiveness, and other sensory attributes. Cranberry powder exhibited substantial enhancements in pigment protection and redox status. This effect was attributable to polyphenols, which functioned through electron donation and metal chelation, thereby retarding the oxidation of myoglobin and lipids in cooked sausages. As a result, peptide mediated softening occurred at higher amounts of hydrolyzed collagen, and maximum cohesion was reached at moderate amounts. The optimal combination, according to overall desirability profiles, was hydrolyzed collagen – 10.0% and cranberry powder – 2.0%. At this specific point, the responses were as follows: hardness – 3.746 g/mm², cohesiveness – 81.92%, color stability – 89.62%, FRAP – 552.75 a.u., and sensory profile – 4.10 points. The predictability at the optimum level was high, with a mean relative error of 0.61%.