"Potent effect on bone metabolism and prevention of the deterioration
in bone mass"

Dried plums offer natural antioxidant alternatives for sausages
By Stephen Daniells

 26-Jun-2008 - Antioxidant-rich dried plums may be a natural
alternative to synthetic preservatives for processed meats, suggests
research from the Americas.

Formulation of pre-cooked pork sausages with a puree of dried plums
were liked by consumers just as much as sausages made with the
synthetic antioxidant BHA and BHT, according to research published in
this month's Journal of Food Science.

Moreover, the puree did not adversely affect the flavour profile of
the sausages when used at a concentration of three per cent, report
researchers from the University of Oriente in Venezuela and Texas A&M
University.

Interest is growing in plant-derived food additives as replacements to
synthetic antioxidants like butylhydroxyanisole (BHA) and
butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) to slow down the oxidative deterioration of
food.

Indeed, according to Frost and Sullivan, the synthetic antioxidant
market is in decline, while natural antioxidants, such as herb
extracts (particularly rosemary), tocopherols (vitamin E) and
ascorbates (vitamin C) are growing, pushed by easier consumer
acceptance and legal requirements for market access.

The new research, funded by the California Dried Plum Board and Texas
AgriLife Research, suggests that purees of dried plum, or dried plum
mixed with apple, may be used as food ingredients in ready-to-eat meat
products, like pre-cooked pork sausages, roast beef and ham.

Typically, the oxidative deterioration of meat and meat products is
caused by the degradation reactions of fats and pigments. Oxidation
processes in food can lead to organoleptic deterioration in taste,
colour and texture.

Sausage formulation

The researchers, led by Professor Jimmy Keeton from Texas A&M,
prepared pork sausages using raw pork pate with no antioxidant
(control), dried plum puree (three or six per cent), dried plum and
apple puree (three or six per cent), or 0.02 per cent BHA/BHT.

The sausages were refrigerated, or cooked, vacuum packed and
refrigerated, or cooked, vacuum packed and frozen (minus 20 degrees
Celsius).

Keeton and co-workers report that both levels of the dried plum were
as effective as the synthetic antioxidants in the cooked and
refrigerated and frozen sausages. Moreover, the higher concentration
was more effective than BHA/BHT for retarding lipid oxidation in the
refrigerated meat.

Characteristics

The colour of the sausages was affected by the inclusion of the plum,
with decreased redness observed with the six per cent concentration,
and an increased yellowness for both dried plum and dried plum and
apple puree at six per cent.

A panel of trained testers noted changes to the flavour of the
sausages, with increases in sweetness, and decreases in saltiness and
bitterness. A masking of cooked pork fat,
spicy/peppery, and sage flavours was also documented.

"Overall, pork sausage with three per cent dried plum puree or dried
plum and apple puree was as acceptable to consumers as the control or
those patties with BHA/BHT," wrote the researchers.

"Inclusion of three per cent dried plum puree was effective as a
natural antioxidant for suppressing lipid oxidation in precooked pork
sausage patties," they concluded.

Healthy bonus

The use of such natural additives has the extra advantage of the
health benefits associated with the extracts. Research from Oklahoma
reported that the dried fruit has potential as a functional food
ingredient since results from a rat study reported a potent effect on
bone metabolism and prevention of the deterioration in bone mass
(Bone, Dec. 2006, Vol. 39, pp. 1331-1342).

Source: Journal of Food Science
June 2008, Volume 73, Issue 5, Page H63-H71, doi: 10.1111/j.
1750-3841.2008.00744.x
"Antioxidant Properties of Dried Plum Ingredients in Raw and Precooked
Pork Sausage"
Authors: M.T. Nunez de Gonzalez, R.M. Boleman, R.K. Miller, J.T.
Keeton, and K.S. Rhee

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Tom

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