Effect of Gaeddongssuk (Artemisia annua L.) Powder on Quality and Shelf Stability of Emulsion Sausages during Refrigerated Storage

Effect on the Emulsification Stability and Quality of Emulsified Sausages Added with Wanggasi-Chunnyuncho (Opuntia humifusa f. jeollaensis) Fruit Powders

In this study, the Opuntia humifusa f. jeollaensis (Wanggasi-Chunnyuncho) fruit (WCF) was used as a source of viscous dietary fiber and color pigmentation in sausage production to improve quality characteristics, including cooking loss and emulsion stability. Control and treatment sausages were formulated with 0%, 1%, 5%, and 10% WCF powder, respectively, and the following quality measures were investigated: general composition, fiber content, cooking loss, emulsion stability, chromaticity, pH, texture, and sensory properties. The moisture, dietary fiber, and ash contents showed increasing trends (all p<0.05) with increasing concentrations of fruit powder. Conversely, crude protein and crude fat contents exhibited decreasing trends with increasing fruit powder concentrations (p<0.05). Moreover, both the moisture and dietary fiber contents affected cooking loss, water retention capacity, and the sausage texture, causing the cooking loss to decrease, while the water and oil retention capacity increased (p<0.05) with increasing concentrations of WCF powder. Furthermore, hardness exhibited a significant decreasing trend as the concentration of WCF powder increased (p<0.05). This finding suggested that both dietary fiber and viscous materials, along with the protein and moisture content, affected the product hardness. In addition, sensory evaluation of the WCF powder groups showed better results than did the control group, and the strongest results obtained for the group containing 5% fruit powder (p<0.05). Therefore, this study suggests that WCF powder improves the quality of emulsified sausages and can potentially be applied as a naturally-derived additive.

Effects of green tea leaf, lotus leaf, and kimchi powders on quality characteristics of chicken liver sausages

Liver sausage is flavorful and highly nutritious. However, liver has a relatively short shelf life due to acceleration of oxidation in the presence of endogenous enzymes and metals. Powders derived from natural sources, including plants or fruits, are applied to meat products for inhibiting oxidation without adverse effects on their quality. Hence, this study investigated the effects of natural powders derived from green tea leaf (GTL), lotus leaf (LL), and kimchi (KC) on the quality and change in lipid oxidation and freshness of chicken liver sausages during two weeks of storage. Chicken liver sausages were manufactured with chicken breast (70%) and liver (20%), pork back fat (5%), iced water (5%), various additives, and GTL, LL, and KC [0 (control) or 1%]. They were processed in three batches. For determination of the quality characteristics of chicken liver sausages with various plant powders, pH, color, and texture properties were assessed. In addition, lipid oxidation and freshness using thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) were analyzed at day 0 and week 2 of refrigerated storage. Higher values were obtained for pH and cooking yield in sausage samples with LL and KC powders than in samples with the other treatments. For a* values, the sausage samples with KC showed similar (p > 0.05) values, whilst others had significantly lower values than the control. The addition of the three powders to sausage samples induced an increase (p < 0.05) in hardness, gumminess, and chewiness. The addition of plant powders did not influence TBARS and TVBN of sausage samples at the initial stage. However, after two weeks of storage, significantly lower TBARS and TVBN values were observed, and the sausage with KC (p < 0.05) showed the lowest values of both TBARS and TVBN. The results showed the potential ability of the three powders to improve the quality and inhibit lipid oxidation in liver sausages. Particularly, the addition of KC did not adversely affect the a* values of sausage samples. The effects on sensory properties and inhibition mechanisms of GTL, LL, and KC in meat products should be further studied.