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

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, fer- mentation, ripening and drying lasted 21 days. Sausages were made in three replicates. The paper presents the most important chemi- cal 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.