Comparative effect of red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus), red beet root (Beta vulgaris) and betanin (E-162) on colour and consumer acceptability of fresh pork sausages packaged in a modified atmosphere

• Published in: Journal of the science of food and agriculture Vol. 86; no. 4; pp. 500 - 508
• Main Authors: Martinez, L, Cilla, I, Beltran, J.A, Roncales, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.03.2006; Wiley; John Wiley and Sons, Limited
• Subjects: appearance (quality); beets; Beta vulgaris; betanin; Biological and medical sciences; Cereal and baking product industries; Color; Comparative analysis; consumer acceptance; Consumer attitudes; discoloration; food acceptability; Food additives; food coloring; Food industries; Food packaging; Food science; fresh pork sausages; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Meat and meat product industries; Meat products; modified atmosphere packaging; Monascus; Monascus purpureus; natural additives; natural colorants; Oryza sativa; Pork; red beet; Rice; sausages; sensory properties; vegetable juices; Beta vulgaris var. conditiva; Yeast; Meat product; Pork product; fresh pork sausages; Red beet; Natural; Fungi; Consumer; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Ascomycetes; Conditioning; Modified atmosphere; Thallophyta; Rice; Sausage; Beta vulgaris; Monascus; natural colorants; Chenopodiaceae; betanin; Red; modified atmosphere packaging; Packaging; Cereal; Spermatophyta; Pork
• ISSN: 0022-5142; 1097-0010
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.2389

Fresh pork sausages containing natural colorants, red yeast rice powder (Monascus purpureus; Frame) or a crude red beet root (Beta vulgaris) juice or commercial betanin (E-162), at different concentrations, were packaged in an atmosphere containing 80% O2 and 20% CO2 and stored in the dark for 20 days. The following parameters were measured at 4 day intervals: instrumental colour (CIE L*, a*, b*, a*/b*, C* and h*), reflectance spectra, sensory discoloration (trained panel) and acceptability and willingness to purchase (habitual and non-habitual consumer panels) under two different lighting displays (standard fluorescent and Promolux lamp). The use of colorants improved the colour properties of fresh pork sausages. Sausages with red yeast rice, red beet root juice and betanin had lower L* and h* and higher a* and a*/b* values than control samples. The colour properties of sausages with red beet root were the closest to control sausages, while sausages with red yeast rice had significantly lower b* values. Both natural colorants and betanin protected sausages from discoloration and extended acceptability and willingness to purchase by about 4 days, according to evaluation by habitual consumers under two different types of lighting display. Therefore, red beet root juice may be envisaged as the most suitable natural colorant for use in fresh pork sausages.