Production of Functional Sausage Using Pomegranate Peel and Pistachio Green Hull Extracts as Natural Preservatives

This study investigated partial replacement of nitrite by Pomegranate Peel (PPE) and Pistachio Green Hull Extracts (PGHE) in cooked sausages and their effects on oxidative, microbial, and physicochemical properties of the samples. To this end, 250, 500, 750, 1,000, and 1,250 ppm of the two extracts and 100, 80, 60, 40, and 0 ppm of nitrite were added to the sausages and the peroxide and TBARS values, microbial tests, sensory evaluation, and color factors were measured during 30 days storage at 4ºC. Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of both treatments were as well as the control, or sometimes better than it. PGHE treatments had better color factors compared to PPE treatments. Sensory scores of PPE3 and PGHE3 (containing 60 ppm nitrite and 750 ppm of extracts) were not significantly different compared to the control. Thus, reduction of nitrite up to 50% and replacement of it by PPE or PGHE do not cause great changes in quality parameters of sausage and improve its functional properties.