Effect of Packaging Conditions on Shelf-Life of Mortadella Made with Citrus Fibre Washing Water and Thyme or Rosemary Essential Oil

The “elimination” of chemical additives used in a wide variety of foods is demanded, while “natural” additives are seen as a benefit for both quality and safety. Researchers are looking for new sources of ingredients and/or additives. The aim of this work was to study the effect of 1) the addition of 5.00% citrus fibre washing water (CFWW) and 0.02% rosemary essential oil (REO) or 0.02 % thyme essential oil (TEO) and 2) storage conditions on the chemical, microbeological and sensorial properties of mortadellas, a bologna-type sausage. CFWW + REO or CFWW + TEO samples stored in vacuum packaging showed the lowest TBA values. The resulting products were packed either in vacuum, modified atmosphere or air pouches and stored for 24 days. Lipid oxidation was assessed by the TBA method, while a quantitative descriptive analysis was carried out for sensory evaluation. Microbiological counts were also determined. CFWW + REO samples stored in vacuum packaging showed the lowest counts of aerobic and lactic acid bacteria. The sensory evaluation provided similar scores for CFWW + REO and CFWW + TEO samples. The lowest scores were obtained for control mortadella stored in air packaging. The addition of citrus fibre washing water and spice essential oils is a technologically viable alternative in emulsified meat products, since they improve customer acceptance and have desirable effects as regards oxidative stability and reduced microbial growth, which contributes to prolonging their shelf-life.