Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different sterilization temperatures on the fatty acid composition and lipid oxidation of emulsified sausage. The lipids were extracted with chloroform and methanol, saponificated and methylated before being analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that fatty acid composition and lipid oxidation changed after emulsified sausages were sterilized at different temperatures. When sterilization temperature exceeded 100 ℃, the content of saturated fatty acids (SFA) increased significantly (P < 0.05), while the content of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) decreased significantly (P < 0.05); the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) decreased highly significantly (P < 0.01), but no significant difference was noted in the content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (P > 0.05). n-6 PUFA/n-3 PUFA ratio and PUFA/SFA ratio significantly increased and decreased, respectively. Meanwhile, sterilization at 100–110 ℃ significantly improved peroxide value (POV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value. Sterilization at above 100 ℃ significantly increased the contents of C14:0, C16:0, C18:0 and C20:0 and decreased significantly the contents of C18:2n6, C18:3n3, C20:3n6 and C20:4n6, while C20:5n3 and C22:6n3 were undetectable in the sterilized sausages. Therefore, sterilization at below 100 ℃ could maintain the fatty acid composition of sausages to the greatest extent. Sterilization at above 100 ℃ significantly damaged the proportion of fatty acids, and promoted significantly lipid oxidation. This study can provide technical support for the application of sterilization in the production of meat products.

Key words: sterilization temperature, emulsified sausage, fatty acid, lipid oxidation