Snowbird foods has launched a healthy, high fibre range of sausages which are reduced fat, low salt and both dextrose and gluten free.

Based on the company’s Gourmet Plus frozen, fully cooked sausages which have a minimum meat content of 85%, the new Cumberland and Lincolnshire variants have already been successfully test marketed through a pub chain and in retail ready meals.

Natural starches were used to partially offset the loss of both taste and texture resulting from the removal of fat and salt but it was the removal of dextrose which caused the biggest problems as it had added sweetness and delivered the familiar golden brown appearance.

“We tried all manner of sugars and other solutions without success and then worked with every variety of honey we could find. Only one worked and it took us three months to find it,” said new product development manager, Jason Drage.

In addition to Cumberland and Lincolnshire, the new formulation has been found to work particularly well with pork and leek and other flavours.