• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.390-399
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• 2016

Purpose: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of plant scale and cooking conditions on the quality characteristics of sausages during refrigerated storage. Methods: Sausages used in this study were classified into two groups: those submitted to $1^{st}$ cooked treatments and those submitted to $2^{nd}$ cooked treatments. The pH, volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), gas production ratio, and microorganisms were measured in triplicate. Results: The change of quality in the products was assessed every 7 days by measuring pH, VBN levels, total microbes, coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, and pathogenic bacteria in the products. Pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium perfringens, and E. coli were not detected in the sausages with $1^{st}$ cooked treatments. The results showed that the pH of the sausages decline as storage time increased. The pH value of the sausages with $2^{nd}$ cooked treatments changed gradually. VBN levels were generally lower in products with $2^{nd}$ cooked treatments than in those with $1^{st}$ cooked treatments, but they varied with the type of products. On the $35^{th}$ day, the number of total microbes ranged between 6.13-7.12 log CFU/g in products with $1^{st}$ cooked treatments and 3.44-6.92 log CFU/g in products with $2^{nd}$ cooked treatments, showing fewer bacteria in the latter products. Conclusions: $1^{st}$ cooked treatments were effective in microbial control, but $2^{nd}$ cooked treatments could prolong the shelf life of the sausages, indicating a need for differential management of each product.