Changes in volatile organic compounds in the headspace of modified atmosphere packed and unpacked white sausages

Publication date: March 2019Source: Food Packaging and Shelf Life, Volume 19Author(s): Guido Rux, Alexandru Luca, Pramod V. MahajanAbstractWhite sausage has a complex volatile organic compound (VOC) profile, attributed to meat and to the mixture of ingredients (i.e. spices, onion and parsley). Modifications of this profile can be associated with changes in the sensory characteristics of the product, i.e. chemical reactions or bacterial spoilage. The aim of this study was, for the first time, to characterize and compare the VOC headspace profiles of white sausages stored in modified atmosphere conditions at 4 °C for up to 22 d. Headspace VOCs of sausages were analyzed in closed packages and immediately after opening of the packages. VOCs profiles included 5 alcohols, 4 esters, 4 ketones, 14 monoterpenes, 14 sulfur-containing compounds, and 5 miscellaneous compounds. The emission of all alcohols, important for sensory perception, increased while that of the majority of components attributed to spices and parsley was constant during storage. Emission of sulfur-containing compounds significantly differed between packed and unpacked sausages. Methyl thiolacetate, propyl thiolacetate and dimethyl trisulfide, associated with spoilage, were increasingly emitted after day 16. Exact knowledge of the VOCs profile and prevention of the accumulation of undesired VOCs is essential for further optimization of sausage packaging.
Source: Food Packaging and Shelf Life - Category: Food Science Source Type: research