Evaluation of salt level and rigor status on the physicochemical and textural properties of low-fat pork sausages added with sea tangle extract using rapidly chilled pre-rigor pork ham.

Abstract

This study was performed to evaluate the quality characteristics of pork sausage (PS) with sea tangle extract (STE) and rapid chilled pre-rigor muscle (RCPM) for the development of reduced-salt low-fat sausage. Pre- and post-rigor pork ham muscles were prepared to process PSs. Positive control (reference, REF) using post-rigor muscle were manufactured at a regular-salt level of 1.5%. Fresh and rapid-chilled pre-rigor muscle (FPM and RCPM) were used to manufacture reduced-salt sausages with 0.8% salt. Reduced-salt PSs were prepared with four treatments: FT1 (FPM alone), FT2 (FPM with 5% STE), RT1 (RCPM alone), and RT2 (RCPM with 5% STE). The physicochemical and textural properties of the sausages with reduced-salt levels and RCPM combination were measured to determine if the characteristics of RCPM were similar to those with FPM. The pH values of PS with FPM and RCPM were higher than those of REF with post-rigor muscle. Color values (L*, a*, b*) were not affected by different rigor-states and salt addition level. Textural properties of reduced-salt PSs were similar to those of REF due to the improved functionalities of pre-rigor muscle. RT2 had lower expressible moisture (%) than other treatments with post-rigor muscle and RCPM except for RT1. The addition of STE and RCPM to reduced-salt PS increased the waterholding capacity, which was lower than those of PS with STE using RCPM but similar to those of regular-salt sausage.