Monitoring of the physicochemical, microbial, textural, and sensory properties of clean label sucuk produced with natural curing agents during the ripening period

Abstract

In the current study, the effect of dill, parsley, spinach, and Swiss chard powder on the physicochemical, microbial, textural, and sensory properties of sucuk production during the seven-day ripening period was investigated. Six different fermented sucuks were produced, C1: 100 mg/kg sodium nitrite; C2: 100 mg/kg sodium nitrate; T1: dill powder 0.71%; T2: parsley powder 1.17%; T3: spinach powder 0.29% and T4: Swiss chard powder 0.26%. In group T4, a higher titratable acidity and lower pH values were found compared to the other groups (P < 0.01). No residual nitrate was detected in groups T3 and T4 at the end of the ripening period. Swiss chard powder (T4) increased the redness of the sucuks (P < 0.01). Naturally cured sucuks had higher lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts than the control groups (P < 0.01). The T3 and T4 groups had the highest scores of flavour and overall acceptance (P < 0.05). Therefore, spinach and Swiss chard powder could be considered as a successful approach to produce naturally cured Turkish sucuk under the clean label concept.