Efficiency of using spicy and aromatic plant ingredients in the technology of semi-smoked sausages

The relevance of the study lies in the need to improve the technology of semi-smoked sausages using spicy and aromatic plant ingredients, which would allow producing sausages with an extended shelf life and will help to expand the range. In order to avoid premature spoilage of sausage products or increase their consumption time, it is advisable to use a variety of food additives and antioxidants during production, with a positive effect on lipid hydrolysis and inhibition of oxidative changes in lipids. The purpose of the study was to investigate the chemical composition and freshness changes of semi-smoked sausages made using spicy and aromatic plants – thyme and caraway seeds – during storage. The following research methods were used in the study: organoleptic evaluation was carried out by appearance, cut appearance, consistency, aroma and taste; physicochemical – moisture content – by drying samples in a drying cabinet to a constant mass at a temperature of 103 ± 2°C; fat content – by Soxhlet extraction; protein content – by Kjeldahl method; determination of table salt content – by titration of a chlorine ion in a water extract from the product with silver nitrate. When determining organoleptic parameters, it was found that the samples have rather high organoleptic properties characteristic of semi-smoked sausage according to the manufacturing technology using thyme and caraway seeds. The chemical composition study found that the moisture content of the semi-smoked sausages was 54.1- 59.3%, and the protein content was 19.6-20.4%, which meets the requirements of the standard for high-grade semi-smoked sausages. In the course of research, the influence of spices on the course of product spoilage and the preservation of quality indicators in the developed sausage samples was investigated. During storage, the amount of peroxides in the sausage samples was constantly increasing, which indicates the course of oxidative processes that lead to the generation of peroxides. The practical significance of the study was to improve the organoleptic properties and expand the range of semi-smoked sausages through the use of spices