Effect of thermosonication or microwave heating for post pasteurization on chemical, physical, and sensory characteristics of prototype sausage

Abstract

Thermosonication or microwave techniques were applied to sausage samples as post pasteurization methods. The pasteurization was performed either in an ultrasonic bath at 80°C for 20 min, 30 min and 40 min or in a microwave at power levels of 400 W, 600 W and 800 W for 15 s or 30 s and compared to conventional pasteurization (75°C for 15 min) and the control (without pasteurization). The results showed that thermosonication and microwaves effectively inhibited microbial growth during storage. However, these techniques significantly (p < 0.05) affected the hardness, springiness, cohesiveness and chewiness of the treated sausages. There were no significant (p > 0.05) differences in the sensory characteristics of the treated samples from those of the conventional pasteurization samples. The optimal thermosonication conditions were 80°C for 20 min and maintained the quality and extended the shelf life, while microwave heating at
a power level of 400 W for 30 s produced similar inhibition results. Hence, thermosonication or microwave heating have potential for application in sausage production to extend the shelf life of sausage products and to maintain overall quality with greater energy efficiency.