Effect of Fermentation Time and Vegetable Concentrate Addition on Quality Parameters of Organic Botifarra Catalana, a Cured–Cooked Sausage

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 60; no. 27; pp. 6882 - 6890
• Main Authors: Magrinyà, Núria, Bou, Ricard, Rius, Núria, Codony, Rafael, Guardiola, Francesc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 11-07-2012
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cooking; Fermentation; Food Additives - analysis; Food Additives - metabolism; Food industries; Food, Organic - analysis; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Lactobacillus - metabolism; Meat and meat product industries; Meat Products - analysis; Meat Products - microbiology; Nitrates - analysis; Nitrates - metabolism; Nitrites - analysis; Nitrites - metabolism; Staphylococcus - metabolism; Swine; Time Factors; Vegetables - chemistry; Vegetables - metabolism; nitrate and nitrite reduction; cured-cooked meat; Staphylococcus carnosus; botifarra catalana sausage; organic meat; Addition; Vegetables; Nitrites; Meat product; Nitrates; Fermentation; Reduction; Quality; Cooked sausage; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Cured meat; i: botifarra catalana sausage; Micrococcaceae; Concentrate
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf301218k

The effects of the addition of two different sources of nitrite (pure NaNO2 or a nitrate-rich vegetable concentrate) and three different fermentation times with nitrate-reducing cultures (6, 12, or 24 h at 16 °C) on microbial counts, pH, residual nitrate and nitrite amounts, and susceptibility to oxidation of botifarra catalana sausage were studied. Moreover, curing efficiency, color, tocopherol and tocotrienol contents, oxidative status, and consumer acceptability of these sausages were assessed after vacuum packaging and storage at 4 °C for up to 180 days. Residual nitrate and nitrite amounts were lower than the limits established by the European Union for organic meat products. Longer periods of fermentation produced higher meat curing efficiency ratios, whereas consumer acceptability scores were highest for sausages with added vegetable concentrate. Storage of the sausages caused small quality changes. Therefore, these results indicate that vegetable concentrate is a useful alternative for organic cured–cooked meat products.