Colour and texture characteristics of “Užička” fermented sausage produced in the traditional way

Slavica Vesković-Moračanin; Dragica Karan; Dejana Trbović; Đorđe Okanović; Natalija Džinić; Marija Jokanović

Slavica Vesković-Moračanin Institute of meat hygiene and technology
Dragica Karan Institute of meat hygiene and technology
Dejana Trbović Institute of meat hygiene and technology
Đorđe Okanović Institute of Food Tehnology - Novi Sad
Natalija Džinić University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology - Novi Sad
Marija Jokanović University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology - Novi Sad

Keywords: “Užička”sausage, chemical analysis, sensory analysis, colour and texture instrumental analysis

Abstract

With the aim to preserve the quality of traditional fermented sausages and provide the continuity in production, a task of this work was to determine the quality characteristics of “Užička” sausage, traditional fermented sausage from Serbia. “Užička” sausage was produced from beef of I and II category, pork of II category, ﬁ rm fatty tissue, nitrite salt, sodium chloride and spices (sweet and hot ground paprika, black pepper and garlic). Sausages were manufactured in traditional smokehouse – smoking, fermentation, ripening and drying lasted 21 days. Sausages were made in three replicates. The paper presents
the most important chemical quality parameters (protein, moisture, fat and total ash content, sodium chloride content, pH value and nitrite content) with the description of sensory properties (colour, surface of cut, coherence, fatty tissue quality, tenderness, and overall impression) and the results of colour and texture measurements (“Chromameter” CR-400 and “INSTRON” model 4301), at the end of the production process. Results of the sensory evaluation showed the most desirable properties in sausages produced in the January (when climatic conditions were optimal for the production), and the results of colour and texture measurements were in agreement with the results of the sensory evaluation.