Quality Control And Flavor Characteristic Of Cantonese Sausage

Cantonese sausage is famous for its unique appearance and flavor. The oxidation of fat is the most prominent problem during the modern industrial production of sausage. The effects of six natural antioxidants (VC, rosemary extraction, VE, tea polyphenols, bamboo antioxidants and phytic acid) on the quality of sausage and the main flavor components of sausage were studied, in order to develope some kind of natural antioxidants, which could inhibit the rancidity and maintain the flavor characteristics of Cantonese sausage. The major contents and results were as follows:(1)Effect of natural antioxidants on inhibiting rancidity of sausageThe effects of six natural antioxidants (VC, rosemary extraction, VE, tea polyphenols, bamboo antioxidants and phytic acid) were studied. The inhibitory effect of VC was the best at the same dosage (0.2g/kg) or the maximum amount allowed by the national standard. The effects of six natural antioxidants had been compared with four synthetic antioxidants (TBHQ, BHA, BHT, PG).At the same dosage (0.2g/kg), the effects of six natural antioxidants were worse than four synthetic antioxidants. While at the maximum amount allowed by the national standard, the effects of VC, rosemary extraction, VE, tea polyphenols, and bamboo antioxidants were better than four synthetic antioxidants.The effects of multiple antioxidants with two of six natural antioxidants were studied. The results showed that the three groups of VC-VE, VC-rosemary and VE-rosemary had better synergism. When the dosage of each antioxidant was 0.5g/kg, these three groups could maintain the acid value and peroxide value of sausage normal during 120 days.(2)Effect of multiple natural antioxidants on the quality of sausageThe effects of three groups of VC-VE, VC-rosemary and VE-rosemary on the other qualities of sausage were studied during 120 days of storage.The qualities contained sensory, protein contents, fat contents, sugar contents, pH, texture and colour. The sensory evaluation results of sausage contained VC-rosemary and VE-rosemary were better and the protein content, fat content, total sugar content were higher than others.While the sausage contained VC-VE became moldy after 120 days. The effects of VC-VE on protein, fat and total sugar contents were the same as VC. The three groups of multiple antioxidants had little effect on pH and could maintain the texture and color of sausage. Considering the effects of these three multiple antioxidants on various indicators of sausage quality, the groups of VC-rosemary, VE-rosemary could extend the shelf life of sausage from 90 days to 120 days.(3)The inhibition mechanism of natural antioxidants on sausage rancidity The fatty acids of sausage were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that the main unsaturated fatty acids in the sausage were oleic acid and linoleic acid. The antioxidant effects of six natural antioxidants or multiple natural antioxidants on oleic acid and linoleic acid were the same as the effects on sausage. Therefore, the inhibition of natural antioxidants on sausage rancidity may achieved mainly by strengthen the antioxidant effects on oleic acid and linoleic acid. Besides, combining two antioxidants could enhance the antioxidant effect.(4)The flavor characteristics of Cantonese sausageA method using static headspace combined with GC-MS was developed to analyze volatile compounds in different quantity grade of Cantonese sausage. The main flavor compounds included alcohols, ethyl esters, hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones and acids. The contents of ethanol and ethyl esters were higher. So ethanol and its derivatives were the main flavor components of Cantonese sausage.The main flavor compounds were also ethanol and ethyl esters both in sausage with VC-rosemary and VE-rosemary. This suggested that these two groups of multiple antioxidants had little effect on the flavor characteristics of Cantonese sausage.All results in this paper showed that the two groups of VC-rosemary and VE-rosemary could not only control the quality of sausage efficiently, but also maintain the flavor characteristics of Cantonese sausage.