Quality and Shelf Life of Fermented Lamb Meat Sausage with Rosemary Extract

Dry fermented lamb-meat sausages were manufactured with 70% lamb meat, 30% lamb fat and rosemary extract under a controlled fermentation and ripening process. The antioxidant effect of three rosemary extract concentrations (0.015, 0.030 and 0.045%) on the oxidation stability, chemical composition, color parameter and sensory acceptability during ripening/drying and storage periods (1, 10, 25, 40 55, 70, 85 and 100 days) was studied. The fermentation process significantly (p 0.05) reduced the moisture content, pH and water activity, while the components of protein, fat and ash increased during the processing and storage periods. Water activity, pH and moisture/protein ratio (MPR) were within the control criteria for shelf stable products. Rosemary extract (high total phenol concentration) was an efficient antioxidant, improving fermented lamb-meat sausage quality based on color and off-odor. Sensory analysis results, particularly appearance, juiciness, hardness and saltiness were not significantly different (p 0.05) in final products, while the sourness (acidity), color and off-odor mean values were significantly different (p 0.05).