Abstract:

Common sausages served as controls (group A), low-temperature sausages with oat and no preservatives added
(group B), and low-temperature sausages with added oat and preservatives (group C) were used to predict their shelflife
by accelerated shelf-life test model (ASLT model) according to the principle of chemical kinetics, and some storage
characteristics of the low-temperature sausages with added oat were evaluated during the predicted shelf life. The numbers
of bacterial colonies in the samples from groups A, B and C were detected during storage at 27, 32 and 37 ℃. Changes in the
acid value, moisture content, water-holding capacity (WHC), bacterial colony count and textural properties of the samples
from group B were detected during storage at 4 ℃. The results showed that the shelf-lives of the samples from groups A,
B and C were 25, 21 and 23 d at room temperature (25 ℃) , and 178, 116 and 151 d at 4 ℃, respectively. At these storage
temperatures, the acid value, moisture content, WHC and bacterial colony count of low-temperature sausages with added
oat were changed, but remained at safe levels. Therefore, the low-temperature oat-fortified sausages (group B) had a 116-
day shelf life at 4 ℃, which reached the market standard. Furthermore we found that the shelf life was prolonged by further
addition of preservatives as described in the Chinese national standard (GB 2760—2011).

Key words: low-temperature sausages with added oat, shelf-life prediction, accelerated shelf-life test model, storage stability