FEASIBILITY STUDY OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OF WIENER TYPE SAUSAGES PRODUCED WITH BLOOD PLASMA

Krystyna Krysztofiak
Institute of Meat Technology, University of Life Sciences in Poznań, Poland

ABSTRACT

Substitution of meat with a protein preparation introduces to the product flavour intrinsic for the additive and results in a decreased amount of meat flavour precursors. The degree of observed changes in the quality of the finished product depends primarily on the amounts and type of added preparation. Although several substances may be used to improve the taste and aroma of protein preparations or products obtained with their use, herbs are found least objectionable from the consumer point of view. In the presented study a mixture of lovage roots, dried garlic and marjoram at the 1.5 : 1.0 : 4.0 ratio was used to mask the odour of dried blood plasma used to produce wiener type sausage. After aromatization and colouring of sausages with cured blood added (0.9%), sensory quality of this sausage improved on average by 0.7 points (in a 5-point scale). Sausage produced with no blood plasma added received the score of 4.5 points, whereas sausage with unmodified plasma added received 3.6 points. Aromatized and coloured sausage, which scored 4.3 points, was not different in terms of consumer traits from sausage produced with no additives.

Key words: sausages, blood plasma, flavour, colour, herbs, quality.

INTRODUCTION

Meat supplementation with protein preparations in the formulation of meat products has become a common practice. It is a result of several technological and economic factors. While having consumer requirements in mind, it is also necessary to produce processed meats with traditional sensory characteristics. For an average consumer it is important for the meat product produced with the addition of a protein preparation to maintain the standard of sensory quality of a product with no additive, primarily in terms of colour and flavour [1, 4, 5, 6, 17, 18]. The method of colour optimization for wiener type sausage was previously described by this author [10]. This study is a continuation of investigations on the comprehensive improvement of quality in case of meat replacement sausages.

The substitution of meat with a protein preparation results, apart from a change in colour, in a decreased amount of meat flavour precursors and introduces to the product the flavour intrinsic of the additive. The character of observed quality changes depends primarily on the amount of the added preparation. This problem pertains basically to all protein and carbohydrate preparations and has been investigated by numerous researchers [4, 5, 8, 11]. While studying the problem of appropriate flavour of foodstuffs it is emphasized that taste and aroma of products are closely interrelated. An improvement in one of these characteristics may change the score for the flavour of the product [2, 3, 7, 17, 19]. Several substances may be used to improve the taste and aroma of protein preparations or products with their addition [5, 7, 8]. The application of herbs is considered least objectionable from the nutritional point of view. The addition of spices, apart from the sensory effect, frequently enhances the nutritive value of the product and ensures its shelf life [8, 9, 19].

THE AIM OF THE STUDY

The study was an attempt to solve some problems resulting from a deterioration of quality of chopped sausages produced with a large content of blood plasma. The objective of the first part of this study was to improve the flavour of the product by a weakening of the intrinsic odour of blood plasma. The second part of the study investigated the effect of a combined application of the developed modifications in the production process, i.e. blood plasma aromatization and batter colouring, on the final consumer traits of experimental sausages.

EXPERIMENTAL MATERIAL AND THE DESIGN OF THE EXPERIMENT

Experimental material consisted of spray dried porcine blood plasma, herbs and wiener type sausage produced with and without the addition of blood plasma.

In the first stage of the investigations the feasibility was assessed of elevating detection and recognition thresholds of blood plasma odour using herbs. Herbs commonly used in meat industry, i.e. dried garlic, black pepper, marjoram, nutmeg, as well as those less known – coriander and lovage root, were used in the study [15]. After the most effective spice blend was determined, it was used to aromatize blood plasma.

In the second stage of the study three variants of wiener type sausage were produced as follows:

• Control sausage with no blood plasma added with the following composition and proportions: pork meat class III-50%, beef class II-25%, fine fat-25%, curing mixture – 2%, spices-0.3 % (black pepper, chili pepper, nutmeg), water-40% batter weight (no blood-plasma)

• Model sausage, which was produced by removing from the formulation of the control sausage the amount of meat which contained 15% protein found in the batter. This protein was substituted with spray dried preparation of porcine blood plasma protein. Moreover, the levels of water and fat in the formulation were appropriately modified so that the basic composition was as similar to the composition of reference sausage as possible (15% of substitute)

• Modified sausage, which was produced similarly as the model sausage, removing 15% protein from the batter. The protein was replaced with an appropriate amount of aromatized porcine blood plasma. The batter was coloured using cured blood in the amount of 0.9% (15% of substitute + modified).

The whole production process of these sausages was performed in accordance with the principles commonly adopted for this type of assortment.

METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

Aromatization of blood plasma

The study was performed in stages. The range of concentrations and the optimum size of differences between samples, the so-called module were preliminarily defined for each condiment. In the first stage of the fundamental study the detection and recognition thresholds were determined for the odour of water plasma solutions at two temperatures, 20°C and 40°C [14, 15]. These results constituted a reference point when it was determined whether a given spice masks the intrinsic odour of blood plasma. Next detection and recognition thresholds were investigated for the aroma of spices in water solutions. It was assumed that the aim of the conducted investigations was to mask the odour of plasma and not to give it a new smell, thus for the tests condiments were used in the amounts similar to threshold values. In the course of further investigations herbs were added to plasma solutions. It was investigated how the detection and recognition thresholds of blood plasma would change after the addition of a single spice or a spice blend. The results of aromatization were presented as a percentage change in the detection and recognition thresholds of blood plasma odour after the addition of a spice or by giving the volume of the threshold change. On the basis of the obtained results amounts of spices were determined, which were subsequently added to liquid plasma prior to its spray drying.

Sensory examination of sausage quality was conducted in a 5-point scale, prepared according to the guidelines in respective standards [12, 13]. Sensory desirability was evaluated in terms of link colour, consistency, colour at cross-section, aroma, taste and juiciness.

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

Feasibility of blood plasma aromatization using herbs

The best results while using single spices were obtained by modifying plasma odour with lovage root. Good modifying properties were also found for dried garlic and marjoram. Two- and three-component blends were prepared using those spices. Their suitability for the modification of blood plasma odour was assessed as described above.

Selected results obtained for spray dried blood plasma are presented in Table 1. This type of blood plasma has an especially low detection threshold and the elevation of this threshold value has a considerable practical importance.

Presented results show that spices to a much higher extent affect the change of the detection threshold than that of the recognition threshold of blood plasma odour. However, irrespective of the observed differences it was found that the detection and recognition of blood plasma odour were delayed most effectively by a mixture consisting of lovage root, dried garlic and marjoram at the 1.5 : 1.0 : 4.0 ratio. Summing up the investigations on changes in blood plasma odour it needs to be emphasized that the above mentioned results determine only the magnitude of the achieved improvement, since the results of individual experimental series frequently differ. It is caused by the fact that both blood plasma and spices from various batches differed in the intensity of their smell. However, each time as a result of the application of the procedure described above a very significant improvement in the odour of blood plasma solution was obtained.

Quality assessment of sausages after modification of their flavour and colour

The final stage of the investigations on the improvement of flavour and colour of wiener type sausage produced with the addition of porcine blood plasma consisted in technological trails. The aim of these trials was to verify in practice the results of model trials. The criterion in the assessment of all the sausages was sensory desirability of link colour, consistency, colour at cross-section, aroma, taste and juiciness. The obtained results are presented in Table 2 (means from three series).

Out of the seven tested sensory indices, the biggest changes after the addition of blood plasma to the sausages were observed for aroma, taste and colour at cross-section. Mean scores for these indices decreased by 1.0 – 1.5 points. Substitution of “natural” blood plasma with plasma with modified flavour and the colouring of sausages with the optimum amount of cured blood resulted in an advantageous change in the quality of meat substitution sausage. The examining panel did not see any difference in the external colour of sausages produced with no blood plasma added and that of coloured sausages. The cross-section colour of sausages with modified colour was assessed at 4.1 points and defined as slightly dark, but the increase of the score by 1.0 points and the good note may be considered satisfactory. The aroma and taste of sausage produced with aromatized blood plasma received scores of 4.3 points and 4.1 points, respectively. Thus, a definite improvement occurred in flavour, although the scores were lower than those for sausage with no blood plasma added. Scores for individual quality indices, after including weighting coefficients, were used to calculate the overall score for each sausage. Sausage with no addition of blood plasma received the score of 4.5 points, sausage with non-modified plasma was assessed at 3.6 points, while sausage with modified blood plasma and coloured with cured blood – 4.3 points, respectively. These results reflect also the degree of improvement in the quality of modified sausage. This justifies the conclusion that the objective of the modification was achieved.

CONCLUSION

1. Detection of spray dried blood plasma odour is delayed most effectively by a spice blend consisting of lovage root, dried garlic and marjoram at the proportions of 1.5 : 1.0 : 4.0.

2. The score for the most important sensory quality indices in case of sausage produced with the addition of aromatized blood plasma and the application of colourization in comparison to the model sausage increased as follows: 3.1 points ÷ 4.1 points for cross-section colour, 3.2 pts. ÷ 4.3 pts. for aroma and 3.4 pts. ÷ 4.1 pts. for taste.

3. The application of the proposed spice blend and colourization of batter with cured blood in the amount of 0.9% resulted in case of the wiener type sausage produced with the addition of dried blood plasma in an increase of the overall quality score from 3.6 pts. to 4.3 points.

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