THE EFFECT OF SODIUM NITRITE ON THE TEXTURAL PROPERTIES OF COOKED SAUSAGE DURING COLD STORAGE

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the effect of sodium nitrite on the textural properties of cooked pork sausage during 0–21 days at 0–4C storage. Frankfurter‐type cooked sausages were prepared at four levels of sodium nitrite (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg). Texture profile analysis (TPA) attributes of cooked sausages changed as a result of different nitrite additions. Nitrite content was negatively correlated significantly with hardness and adhesiveness ( P < 0.01), positively with cohesiveness ( P < 0.01), springiness and resilience ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, a principal component analysis was applied for reducing variables, based on the correlation of nitrite content and TPA parameters. It indicated that principal component 1 accounted for 65% reprehensive of hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness and resilience, and principal component 2 accounted for 16% relating mainly to chewiness. These two factors can explain the instrumental TPA attributes of cooked sausages by different sodium nitrite added during 21‐day cold storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The effect of sodium nitrite on the textural properties of cooked sausage could be valuable to the meat industry in order to select the appropriate nitrite addition for improving the texture of sausage. Principal component analysis used in this article may provide a good statistical method in reducing and explaining textural parameters. Moreover, this research could be useful to the further study of the effect of nitrite on cured meat products, and to provide information and experimental results to solve the “nitrite problem” in practice.