Abstract
The study assessed the quality attributes of sausage products produced from three meat types. Eight kilograms of thigh muscles, each from pork, camel, and chevon, were used for this study and divided into three portions: fresh, fried, and oven-cooked sausage products. Samples from each fresh meat type were analysed for physicochemical and proximate composition, while the final sausage products obtained were analysed to determine the proximate, mineral & vitamin composition, and sensory attributes in a completely randomized design (CRD) 3 × 3 factorial arrangement. The results obtained showed that fresh camel meat had significantly higher (P < 0.05) values of crude protein (CP), moisture, ash, minerals (calcium, potassium, and magnesium), and vitamins (B12, B2, and D) compared to other meat types, but had the lowest ether extract content (2.45 %). The processed (fried and oven-cooked) sausage products generally exhibited higher CP and ether extract than the fresh sausage products across all meat types (P < 0.05). Meat type × processing method interaction influenced the nutritional composition of sausage products (P < 0.05). Overall, processing sausage products from fresh meat enhances CP content, and oven cooking appears to be the most effective in retaining protein content during processing.