A sausage-making company in Palencia has launched a new product - Morcillas Ecuménicas or Ecumencial Black Sausage - made without blood and aimed at Jehovah's Witnesses who will now be able to enjoy sausages without comitting a sin.
The new product is the result of sixth generation sausage maker David Ramos Truchero's curiosity, knowledge and insistence combined with a specific request from members of this religious group.
Jehovah's Witnesses' religious beliefs, or more specifically verses 3 and 4 of Genesis chapter 9, do not allow them to consume blood so at their request, David Ramos, son of Demetrio Ramos, famous for Villada's onion 'morcilla' has been working on developing a 'bloodless' sausage.
After a number of experiments, Ramos has managed to find an ingredient that mimics the effect of blood, i.e., binds the other ingredients (rice, onion, lard and spices) together.
Ramos is pleased to have created a sasuage that has the same texture and taste as a normal 'morcilla' or black sausage and that 'cannot be distinguished in a blindfold test' although he admitted that it is impossible to create the same dark colour.
This is not the only innovative sausage the Ramos family has come up with, having already experimented with sausages with olive oil instead of lard for vegetarians as well as sausages with raisins, pine nuts and sunflower seeds.
Another new product recently launched by the company onto the market is 'morcilla' paste in glass jars with a two-year shelf life enabling it to be exported anywhere in the world.
