Effect of storage time and packaging on the quality of lamb pâté prepared with ‘variety meat’

• The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of storage time and packaging on lamb pâté.
• Lamb pâté showed no growth for microorganisms examined over the 90 day storage period at 4 °C.
• The shelf life was limited by the decrease of sensory acceptability.
• No significant difference was observed between the glass packages and the polyamide casing.
• The TBARS values remained within the acceptable level for the formation of rancidity.

Pâté was made with blood (13%), liver (25%), lamb meat fragments (12%), lard (30%) and water (20%) processed and stored under refrigeration for 90 days, and packed in glass containers and polyamide casing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of storage time and packaging on the microbiological, physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the product. Lamb pâté showed no microbial growth examined throughout the storage period, although its shelf life was limited due to the decrease in acceptability of sensory attributes, especially overall impression and texture. All physicochemical parameters were affected by the storage time, especially instrumental texture, which indicated emulsion instability during storage due to increased hardness, elasticity and gumminess. Lamb pâté also showed significant differences between packaging (p < 0.05) for the parameters of moisture, hardness gumminess and TBARS (p < 0.01), however, no differences were found between the two packaging systems for microbial and sensory quality in the storage conditions this study.