Effect of medicine food homology Penthorum chinense Pursh on physicochemical property and volatile flavor substances analysis of Chinese sausage

Abstract Due to the adverse effects of synthetic chemical antioxidants, natural plant extracts, such as Penthorum chinense Pursh extract, have been demonstrated to possess antioxidative properties in Chinese sausages. Nevertheless, some physicochemical properties remain obscure. This study sought to determine the direct relationships between changes in pH, moisture, water activity, total viable count, color traits, volatile flavor compounds, and sausage quality. Therefore, P. chinense Pursh extract (PCPE) were added to Chinese sausage instead of synthetic chemical antioxidants. The results proved that the PCPE could reduce the a w value and stabilize the pH and moisture. The total number of bacterial colonies in the 0.1 % and 0.3 % sample groups was 7 % lower than that in the blank group on the 35th day. The PCPE could also maintain an acceptable appearance in Chinese sausage; the 0.3 % PCPE group presented a better final a* value, and the 0.1 % PCPE group had a better b* value. Additionally, eight volatile flavor compounds (ROAV > 0.1), contributing to the flavor of Chinese sausage, were identified in the 0.3 % PCPE group by the ROAV analysis. Overall, the P. chinense Pursh extract could be a potential alternative to synthetic chemical antioxidants in the production of Chinese sausages.