Abstract:
The survey of food preservatives in pork sausage (Moo-Yor) purchased from super markets andlocal markets showed that benzoic acid and sodium benzoate were commonly added at the levels of256.13-1,557.67 mg/kg. Nitrite and nitrate were also found at the low level of 0.059-0.213 mg/kgand 0.112-31.370 mg/kg, respectively. Therefore, expanding the shelf-life of Moo-Yor by variouspackaging techniques instead of using food preservatives needs more research. This study wasaimed to evaluate the effects of modified atmospheres packaging and storage at low temperatures onquality and shelf-life of Moo-Yor. Effects of CO2 and storage temperature on the growth ofmicroorganisms was studied. According to Thai Industrial Standards Institute, it does not allow thepresence of E. coli, S. aureus, C. perfringens and Salmonella sp. in Moo-Yor and Lactobacillus sp.that found in pork sausage. The results showed that with the increase of CO2 concentrations from0 to100 %, at 10 ?C, growth of the microorganisms was not observed except S. Typhi. At 35 ?C,the growth of other microorganisms decreased whereas the growth of C. perfringens andLactobacillus sp. increased. The concentration of 50 %CO2: 50 %N2 showed the best inhibition, sothis condition was chosen to apply for Moo-Yor production under modified atmosphere packaging(MAP). Moo-Yor with sodium benzoate at the concentrations of 0, 500 and 1000 mg/kg, withdifferent packaging methods such as under the air, vacuum and modified atmosphere packagingwere tested for their shelf-life. It was found that Moo-Yor with sodium benzoate at theconcentrations of 0, 500 and 1000 mg/kg under all packaging methods could be kept at 35 ?C for7 days. Shelf lifes of Moo-Yor with sodium benzoate at all levels under the air packaging at 10 ?Ccould be extended to 7-14 days. Sensory evaluation of Moo-Yor packed under the air, vacuum andmodified atmosphere packaging showed that Moo-Yor packed under the air packaging was loweraccepted by panelists than those stored at 10 ?C. The shelf-life of Moo-Yor with 500 mg/kgsodium benzoate under modified atmosphere packaging was 70 days, which was equivalent to thatwith 1000 mg/kg sodium benzoate under vacuum packaging at 10 ?C. The sensory evaluation ofsamples packed by both packagings were not significantly different. Moo-Yor under MAPpackaging can reduced the use of preservative and have the same quality to that vacuum packaging.