Effect of incorporation of the plant extracts in natural casing on the color of fermented sausages

In this study, the effect of incorporation of the plant extracts in a natural casing on the color and sensory attributes in fermented sausages, “sucuk” type, was evaluated. The sausages were produced in industrial conditions, stuffed into the pretreated natural casings, vacuum packaged, and stored at 4˚C for six months. Five groups of sausages were tested, C1 (natural casing without treatment), C2 (treated with 6% (v/v) ethanol), C3 (treated with ascorbic acid), A (treated with ethanol extract of Aronia melanocarpa), and D (treated with ethanol extract of Cornus mas). Based on the results, it was concluded that the use of Aronia extract had an effect on the color of the surface. During storage, there was an increase in lightness (L*) and the proportion of red color (a*), and also a slight increase in the proportion of yellow color (b*). There were no major changes in the color parameters on the cross-section of the sausage. Sensory testing of the sausage samples found that there was no difference between the tested samples in terms of external appearance, while the results of the "different from control" - DFC test showed that the A sample was visually more acceptable and had a nicer surface color.