Oxidative Stability and Flavour Acceptability of Nitrite-Free Meat-Curing Systems

Abstract

The oxidative stability imparted to meat by combinations of antioxidants and/or chelators was assessed by the 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test, and their effect on flavour acceptability was determined by sensory evaluation. The TBA results show that, at the 30ppm level, tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) was the most effective antioxidant tested followed by butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). Using surface response methodology, effective concentration combinations of sodium ascobate (SA) with either sodium tripolyphoshate (STPP) or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt (Na2EDTA) added to meat samples to give specified range of TBA values were predicted. Sensory evaluation indicated that the flavour of the untreated control meat sample was significantly (p≤0.05) less acceptable than that of the nitrite-cured reference. The flavour scores of samples treated with a mixture consisting of 3000ppm STPP, 550ppm SA, and 30ppm of TBHQ or BHA were not significantly different from that of nitrite-cured meat.