Effect of retail display illumination and headspace oxygen concentration on cured boiled sausages

• Different lights had a varying impact on discolouration of cured boiled sausages.
• Shorter wavelength had a stronger negative impact on cured boiled sausages.
• Higher residual oxygen contents had a negative impact on sausage quality.
• Sausages packaged without oxygen or stored dark were not affected during 24 h.

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of various commercial lamps and residual oxygen on discoloration and oxidation of cured boiled sausage. The wavelength dependence of different spectral bands on sausage color and oxygen absorption was investigated. A model packaging system, simulating a gastight package was used to compare the influence of fluorescent tubes, metal halide lamps, color optimized fluorescent tubes and LEDs. Sausages exposed to daylight fluorescent tubes showed significantly (p < 0.005) higher rates of oxygen absorption and discoloration in comparison to metal halide lamps and color optimized fluorescent tubes for meat products after 24 h of storage time at 6 ± 1 °C. To investigate the effect of light and residual oxygen in the headspace of the packaging, oxygen concentrations of 0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0% were tested with daylight fluorescent tubes in regard of oxygen absorption and discoloration of the sausages. Higher residual oxygen concentrations showed higher discoloration and also higher rates of oxygen absorption of the sausage. Low initial oxygen contents in the headspace of packaged sausage in conjunction with optimized illumination can prolong the shelf life of cured sausages in retail shelves.