The effects of alternative fuel types on the organoleptic qualities of smoked coarse pork sausages

This study was carried out to assess the effects of alternative smoking fuel types on the organoleptic qualities of coarse pork sausages. The sausages were produced with lean pork (2.5 kg) and pork fat (0.5 kg), minced, mixed with spices and stuffed into natural casings. They were grouped into four and each group was smoked with one of four fuel types: sawdust (control, C), corn cobs (CC), groundnut pods (GP) or soybean residue (SBR) for fifty minutes and stored for assessment in two batches on the day after production and fourteen days later. The attributes assessed were colour, taste, flavour and texture of the smoked sausages. The products were grilled to a core temperature of 70oC, sliced into pieces of 2.0cm in length and served to trained taste panelists in coded aluminum foil for sensory evaluation. A five-point category scale was used for the evaluation. There were no significant differences among the fuel types on the qualities of the smoked pork sausages. The fuel types imparted a desirable brownish colour and a moderate ‘smoky' flavour in the sausages resulting in a pleasant taste and these qualities were found to persist after freezing for fourteen days. The alternative fuel exhibited different characteristics during the smoking process. The SBR was found to burn faster than all the other fuels and therefore, would be needed in relatively larger quantities than any of the fuel types for meaningful economic use. The CC had the tendency to flame easily, burn quite fast and requires occasional sprinkling with water to enhance smouldering and smoke production. The moistened GP were observed to produce the best smoke comparable to standard fuels like hardwoods. These alternative fuels therefore, have some potential for use in smoking pork sausages without marked deviations from the conventional products smoked with sawdust. They could, therefore, serve as substitutes or supplementary fuel to the use of sawdust. Keywords: smoking, fuel, organoleptic, pork, sausages African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development Vol. 9 (2) 2009: pp. 691-699