Impacts of biopolymer infusion on quality traits of pork sausages during storage.

Objective: We aimed to verify the impacts of cellulose/chitosan addition on the physicochemical properties of sausages.

Methods: Sausages were prepared using 3% cellulose or chitosan and compared with those without biopolymers (control).

Results: Sausages containing chitosan exhibited decreased pH values (p< 0.05), whereas those containing cellulose exhibited increased pH values. 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values did not differ between the control and biopolymer samples. The biopolymer samples had lower volatile basic nitrogen contents than the control samples after 4 weeks of storage (p<0.05). The addition of chitosan significantly reduced the microbiological counts of sausages. Moreover, the infusion of chitosan led to lower lightness (L*) and whiteness (W) values but higher redness (a*), yellowness (b*), chroma (C*), and hueangle (h°) values (p<0.05). During storage, the sausages containing chitosan exhibited significantly better textural parameters, except for springiness and gumminess.

Conclusion: In conclusion, adding chitosan could reduce microbial growth and prolong the expiration date of sausages without compromising quality.