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Page No. : 117-126

ABSTRACT

The aim of the research was to determine the shelf-life of pork sausages fermented with bacterial culture Pediococcus pentosaceus and chemical agent glucono-delta-lactone (GdL). Microbiological, physico-chemical and sensory qualities were studied during the ripening of seven different trials. The sausages were categorized into T1, T2, T3 and T4 depending upon type of casing used. The fermented pork sausages were analyzed for TVC, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella spp., Clostridium spp., and yeast and mold counts on every 15 days interval up to 90 days. The study revealed TVC and yeast and mold count decreased with advancement of storage period. E. coli was found in all the treatments on 0 day only. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from T2 and T4, whereas no Bacillus cereus, Salmonella spp. and Clostridium spp. Were isolated from these sausage samples during entire storage period. Amongst physico-chemical properties pH, TBA and tyrosine value increased significantly with storage period advanced while water activity reduced gradually. Sensorically a significant difference (P<0.01) was found within and on each day storage in all treatments, while comparatively culture treated sausage had more scores for all the sensory attributes than GdL. Thus, the study concluded that the pork sausages fermented with Pediococcus pentosaceus and GdL and stored at ambient temperature were found to be microbiologically safe and sensorically acceptable to the consumer up to the 60 days of ambient storage period.

Keywords: Ambient storage, glucono-delta-lactone, fermented pork sausages, microbiological quality, Pediococcus pentosaceus, physico-chemical quality, sensory quality