Prevention of rancidity and discolouration of Iberian dry cured sausage using proteases

•Two proteases are used to prevent rancidity and discolouration in Iberian dry sausage.•The quality of the sausages is improved when proteases are used.•It is suggested the use of Protease FP Concentrate to improve oxidative stability.•Sausage treated with proteases showed greater content of proteolysis products.•Proteolysis products (<3 kDa) could be responsible of the oxidative stability.

Fifty sausages were manufactured using different proteases (batch 1: without protease; batches 2 and 3: with validase FP II at 0.5 and 1 g kg−1, respectively; batches 4 and 5: with validase FP Concentrate at 0.5 and 1 g kg−1, respectively). Effect of the proteases on sausage quality was evaluated. Moisture content of the samples was lower (p < 0.001) in batch 1 than in batches with protease. Samples with protease presented a greater proteolysis. The protease FP Concentrate caused a higher proteolysis and amino acid content. Batches with protease presented lower values of hardness (p < 0.001), on the contrary, samples without protease presented higher hexanal content (p < 0.001). Moreover, batch 4 and 5, showed the highest oxidative stability (p < 0.001). Regarding to parameters related to red colour (a* and Hue*), batches 4 and 5 presented significant higher values of them (p < 0.001). Finally, sausages with proteases presented higher acceptance than control samples (p < 0.001), probably caused by an optimum odour (p < 0.001). Thus, a greater proteolysis in batches 4 and 5 prevents rancidity and discolouration of these samples.