Effects of heating method, temperature, initial nitrite level, and storage time on residual nitrite, pigments, and curing efficiency of chicken sausages
Suveena Jantapirak, Kanithaporn Vangnai, Titaporn Tumpanuvatr, Weerachet Jittanit
Abstract
The intake of nitrite in sausages is a concern for health-conscious consumers. This study investigated the effects of heating method (smokehouse, water bath, or ohmic heating), temperature (40, 60, or 75°C), sodium nitrite level (80 or 250 ppm), and frozen storage period (≤3 days or 4 weeks) on the residual nitrite, pigments, and curing efficiency of chicken sausages. The results indicated that the electrical conductivities of samples were sufficiently high for ohmic heating. The extension of frozen storage duration to 4 weeks could substantially lessen the residual nitrites in all sausage samples compared to less than 3 days of storage, particularly for the raw sausage. The total pigment, nitrosylhemochrome, and curing efficiency values of the normal-sodium nitrite sausages were considerably higher than their counterparts, especially for the samples heated at high temperatures. Almost all attributes of the sausages were rather similar among the three heating techniques.