A soy and enzyme-treated rice starch blend can replace 40% of pork fat in sausage while keeping taste and texture high, according to research reviewed by Gram. In mice fed a high-fat diet, sausages made with the blend lowered blood triglycerides by 27% to 42%. Human effects are not yet known.
Researchers tested whether a mix of soy protein and broken rice starch could replace part of the pork fat in sausage without ruining its taste or texture. According to research reviewed by Gram, the blend held water and oil well, felt springy like real pork fat, and kept its taste ratings high when it replaced 40% of the fat. When mice fed a high-fat diet ate sausages made with the blend, their blood triglycerides, a type of fat carried in the blood, dropped by 27% to 42%. The study was done in a lab and in mice, so it does not yet show the same effects in people. Still, it points to a practical way to make processed meats lower in animal fat while keeping them enjoyable to eat.
Key Statistics
A 2026 study published in Food Chemistry found that a soy protein and enzyme-treated rice starch blend could replace 40% of pork backfat in sausage while earning the highest total sensory score of 92.74.
In a 2026 Food Chemistry study of mice fed a high-fat diet, sausages made with a soy and rice starch fat substitute reduced serum triglycerides by 27.06% to 41.74%.
A 2026 Food Chemistry study found that the soy and rice starch blend held 94.01% of its weight in water and 72.19% in oil, helping sausage stay juicy with less pork fat.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: Can a plant-based mix of soy protein and rice starch take the place of some pork fat in sausage while keeping it tasty and juicy, and does eating it affect blood fat in mice?
- Who participated: The sausage tests were run in the laboratory, and the health effects were tested in mice fed a high-fat diet. The exact number of mice was not specified in the study summary, and no human volunteers were involved.
- Key finding: Replacing 40% of pork fat with the soy and rice blend kept the sausage’s texture, moisture, and taste close to the original. Mice that ate the sausages had 27% to 42% lower blood triglycerides than the high-fat diet group.
- What it means for you: This research suggests that lower-fat processed meats could be made without losing much taste or texture. It does not prove that eating these sausages will improve your health, and it should not be read as medical advice.
The Research Details
The researchers first built a fat substitute by combining soy protein isolate, a protein pulled from soybeans, with rice starch from broken rice grains. They treated the starch with enzymes, which are natural proteins that break down large molecules into smaller pieces. This step made the starch particles far smaller, which helped them mix more smoothly with the soy protein.
Next, the team tested the blend in the lab. They measured how well it held water and oil, how stretchy and springy it felt, and how stable it stayed when cooked. They also made sausages in which 40% of the pork fat was swapped for the blend, then had trained tasters score the flavor, texture, and overall appeal.
Finally, the researchers fed mice a diet high in fat. Some mice ate sausages made with the blend, and their blood fat levels and belly fat were compared with those of mice that did not get the substitute.
Testing the blend in the lab first shows whether it can actually work as a fat replacement before anyone tries it in food. Adding a feeding test in mice then checks whether the change could affect the body, which is a useful early step before human studies.
The study combines food science tests, texture measurements, taste tests, and animal health tests, which gives a fairly complete picture. The paper appeared in Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed journal in food science. However, the summary does not state how many mice or tasters were used, so the strength of the results is hard to judge from the abstract alone. Results from mice and lab tests often do not carry over directly to people.
What the Results Show
The blend was made from rice starch and soy protein in a 1:1 ratio. Enzyme treatment shrank the starch particles dramatically, from about 6,586 nanometers to about 124 nanometers. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter, so this is a very fine powder.
The soy and rice blend held 94.01% of its weight in water and 72.19% in oil. Those numbers matter because fat in meat helps keep it juicy, and the blend appeared to do a similar job. Its springiness was comparable to real pork backfat, which is the firm fat layer under the pig’s skin.
When 40% of the pork fat was replaced, the sausages kept their stability during cooking and their cooking yield, meaning they lost little weight in the pan. Tasters gave the sausage the highest overall sensory score of 92.74, with a small margin of variation (plus or minus 0.40). Researchers described the taste and texture as acceptable and appealing.
In mice fed a high-fat diet, the sausages made with the blend lowered serum triglycerides by 27.06% to 41.74%. Triglycerides are fats in the blood, and high levels are linked to heart disease over time.
The mice also had less fat around their abdominal organs. Their epididymal fat index, a measure of fat pad weight compared with body weight, fell to between 3.02% and 3.66%. This suggests the sausages may have helped limit fat buildup in the belly area, though the exact comparison depends on the control group used in the study.
The researchers also found that the blend formed an integrated structure in which starch and protein worked together. This structure limited how freely water could move, which likely helped the sausage stay moist.
Past research on fat replacers in meat has often used fibers, gums, or plant oils to imitate fat. Many of these attempts improved fat content but made the texture rubbery or the flavor off. This study adds to that work by using a starch and protein combination that appears to match the springiness and juiciness of real pork backfat more closely. Animal studies linking plant-based fat substitutes to lower blood fat have also been reported in other research, so this result fits a broader pattern, though it is not yet widely confirmed in people.
The most important limit is that the health results come from mice, not people. Mice metabolize fat differently from humans, so the blood fat drop may not happen in the same way in people. The study also does not state how many mice or tasters were used, so the reliability of the numbers is hard to check from the summary. The sausage tests were done under controlled lab conditions, and factory production, storage, and long-term safety were not described. Finally, the study does not show whether eating these sausages over months or years would lead to fewer heart problems.
The Bottom Line
Based on this single study, the strongest supported conclusion is that the soy and rice blend can replace some pork fat in sausage while keeping it acceptable in texture and taste. This is a moderate-confidence finding because it comes from lab tests. The mouse results are early and promising but low confidence for human health, so they should be confirmed in people before anyone assumes a health benefit.
Food manufacturers, meat scientists, and people looking for lower-fat processed meat options may find this research useful. People managing high blood triglycerides, heart disease risk, or weight should talk with a doctor or dietitian before changing their diet based on these findings. Anyone with soy or rice allergies should avoid products that use these ingredients.
Food products using a fat substitute like this would need further safety checks, taste testing at scale, and regulatory review before reaching stores, which can take years. Any real health benefit for people would need human studies over several months, and those results would not be expected soon after the lab findings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can rice starch and soy protein replace pork fat in sausage?
A 2026 Food Chemistry study found that a soy protein and enzyme-treated rice starch blend could replace 40% of pork backfat in sausage. The sausages kept stable cooking yield and earned a high taste score of 92.74, though the results come from lab and taste tests.
Does a plant-based fat substitute lower triglycerides?
In a 2026 study, mice fed a high-fat diet that ate sausages made with a soy and rice starch substitute had triglyceride levels 27% to 42% lower. Research in people is still needed before any triglyceride benefit can be confirmed for humans.
Is reduced-fat sausage healthier to eat?
Lower-fat sausage can reduce saturated fat intake, which is linked to heart risk over time. The soy and rice blend study showed promising results in lab and mouse tests, but it did not test long-term health outcomes in people, so talk with a doctor for personal advice.
How does enzyme treatment change rice starch?
Enzyme treatment broke rice starch particles down from about 6,586 nanometers to about 124 nanometers in a 2026 Food Chemistry study. Smaller particles mixed more evenly with soy protein, helping form a structure that held water and oil and gave the sausage a springy texture.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Log the number of processed meat servings you eat each week, and note whether each serving is labeled reduced-fat, lower-fat, or regular. Also record the grams of saturated fat listed on the nutrition label, which gives a measurable way to compare options over time.
- When buying sausage or deli meat, compare the saturated fat per serving on the labels and choose lower-fat options when the taste suits you. Try pairing processed meats with vegetables, beans, or whole grains to balance a meal.
- Track processed meat intake and saturated fat weekly, and if you have a blood test planned, note your cholesterol and triglyceride results alongside your diet log. Review trends every few months with your healthcare provider, rather than reacting to any single product or study.
This article summarizes a laboratory and animal study and is for general information only. The health effects described were observed in mice, not people, and the study does not prove that eating these sausages will improve heart or blood fat health. Consult a doctor, registered dietitian, or other qualified health professional before making changes to your diet, especially if you have high cholesterol, triglycerides, heart disease, or food allergies.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.