Colour characteristics of vacuum packed fermented sausage during storage

Abstract

© Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. The effect of vacuum packaging on colour (instrumental and sensory characteristics) of dry fermented sausage (Petrovská klobása) during storage period was examined. Sausages were dried under controlled conditions and stored unpacked (C) or packed under vacuum (V). The instrumental colour characteristics (CIE L∗a∗b∗ system: lightness - L∗; redness - a∗; yellowness - b∗; hue angle - h and chroma - C∗), sensory evaluation of colour, pH, water activity and moisture content were determined at the end of the drying period (day 0 of storage) and after 30 and 60 days of storage. Vacuum packed sausages had significantly (P<0.05) lower L∗ and a∗ on days 30 and 60 of storage compared with L∗ and a∗ values determined at day 0 of storage; however, other instrumental colour characteristics were not statistically different (P>0.05). Sausages packed under vacuum had significantly higher (P<0.05) a∗ value on day 30 of storage and significantly higher (P<0.05) L∗ value on day 60 of storage compared with unpacked sausages. Also, on both examined storage days, the colour of vacuum packed sausages was more acceptable sensorially than that of unpacked sausages. According to the results obtained in this study, vacuum packaging had a positive impact on colour characteristics (instrumental and sensory) of dry fermented sausages produced in controlled conditions.