QUALITY PARAMETERS OF BUFFALO MEAT SAUSAGE CONTAINING ESSENTIAL OILS

This study was performed to evaluate the utilization of buffalo meat in formulation of sausage side by side using of thyme essential oil (TEO), cinnamon essential oil (CEO) and garlic essential oil (GEO) at a concentration of 1%, in order to enhance the sensory and freshness parameters with the reduction of microbial load at chilling temperature 3 degrees C for 8 days. Regarding sensory attributes, adding GEO resulted in insignificant lower scores of flavors and overall quality than control at the zero-time, 2nd, and 4th day, then sensory parameters were improved on the 6th and 8th day. Based on chemical findings, on the 8th day total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) mean value in the control group increased to 26.170.21 mg/100 g exceeding the permissible limit of sausage acceptability in Egypt. Whereas TVB-N mean values were 18.21 +/- 0.23, 17.240.21, and 16.24 +/- 0.23 mg/100 for TEO 1%, CEO 1%, and GEO 1% treated groups, respectively. The final thiobarbituric acid (TBA) mean value for the control sample was 1.320.08 mg MDA/Kg, while the TBA mean values were 0.830.08, 0.790.08 and 0.76 +/- 0.08 mg MDA/Kg for TEO 1%, CEO 1%, and GEO 1% treated groups, respectively. Results revealed that treated buffalo sausages had a slower rate of the increase in the microbial count than the control and buffalo sausage containing GEO 1% possessed the lowest microbial count at the end of the chilling period. The best reduction counts achieved were 0.92, 1.03, and 1.08 log(10) CFU/g for aerobics plate count (APC), total mould count (TMC) and Enterobacteriaceae count on the 8th day under the effect of GEO 1%. It could be concluded that the examined essential oils (EOs) can be used as a natural preservative in buffalo meat sausage without any considerable unfavorable sensory effects.