The Manufacture of Low Salt Pork Sausage using High Pressure Processing

The objective of this study was to develop low-salt pork sausages using pressure processing. Quality of pork sausages manufactured at different salt concentrations (0 %, 1. 0%, 2. 5%), pH (5. 0, 5. 5, 6. 0, 6. 5, 7. 0) and pressure intensities (0, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 MPa) was evaluated. Sausages processed at 200 MPa and 1 % NaCl were not significantly different from those produced at the normal NaCl concentration of 2. 5% in terms of water-holding capacity, ratio of restitution, gel strength and work done values. Low-salt sausages processed under the pressure also had high scores for sensory evaluations. At pressures greater than 200 MPa, gels formed after heat treatment were brittle. At pH5. 5 and 6. 0, sausages at 1 % NaC1 had a strong gel when treated at 200 MPa. However, at pH above 6. 5, the gel formation was brittle. From these results, salt concentration of sausage could be reduced by almost 50% compared to the conventional processing methods by using pressure processing. Processing at 200 MPa produced good quality sausages without the use of excessive salt, as well as food additives such as phosphates.