Quality Characteristics of Beef Sausages with Tomato Peel as a Colour and Functional Additive During Frozen Storage

The colouring agents, as food additive, is believed to be necessary for producers. Because of the toxic effects of nitrite, to replace the use of nitrite mostly natural additives. Tomato industries yield a high amount of by-products mainly tomato peel and seeds. Since tomato peel is rich in lycopene, it can be added directly in 0%, 3% and 6% (w/w) in meat mixture used in beef sausage manufacture. This study is designed to investigate the chemical properties of nitrosomyoglobinand oxidation level, sensorial properties and microbiological analyses of beef sausage which have been produced by both reducing the nitrite level and adding tomato peel powder. All samples have been stored at -18°C for 3months. As the level of nitrite was reduced, the oxidation level of the beef sausage was increased significantly. Addition of tomato peel decreased the level of oxidation when compared to the samples which did not contain tomato peel. According to this result it can be stated that tomato peel retards the oxidation reaction. Nitrosomyoglobin (NOMb) content of the samples was decreased along with the decreased level of nitrite. Hardness values of treated samples were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those of control samples. According to sensorial evaluations, tomato peel improved the consumer acceptability as well. Addition of tomato peel increased the colour scores and beef sausage were found to be more aceptable by the panellists.