Determining the impact of varying levels of cherry powder and starter culture on quality and sensory attributes of indirectly cured, emulsified cooked sausages

Indirect curing is a process that utilizes ingredients high in naturally occurring nitrate and a nitrate reducing bacterial starter culture (SC) to provide quality and sensory attributes similar to nitrite-added cured meats. The objective of this study was to determine the effects varying concentrations of starter culture and the addition of cherry powder (CP) had on improving quality and sensory attributes of indirectly cured sausages. Four treatments (TRTs) (TRT 1: low SC + no CP; TRT 2: low SC + CP; TRT 3: high SC + no CP; and TRT 4: high SC + CP) and a sodium nitrite-added (156 ppm) control were investigated. Residual nitrite levels throughout storage declined most rapidly in TRTs 2 and 4 (P < 0.05). Few differences existed between TRTs and C for pH, objective color, or cured pigment concentrations. Consumer sensory panel scores revealed all treatment combinations were comparable (P > 0.05) to the C for all sensory attributes.