Leila Nateghi - Department of Food Science and Technology, Facult of Agriculture, Varamin-Pishva Branch, Islamic Azad University, Varamin, Iran.

Background: Many of the most common cancers, such as prostate and breast cancer are due to the presence of harmful agents and compounds in processed foods, including nitrite. In this research the physicochemical, antioxidant, and color properties of sodium nitrite-free sausages containing different concentrations of cochineal pigment alone or in combination with cumin essential oil were studied and compared with the control sample containing sodium nitrite. Methods: The extract of cochineal pigment in concentrations ۲۰۰ ppm, ۴۰۰ ppm, and ۶۰۰ ppm alone or with ۰.۰۰۴ % w/w of essential oil of cumin were added to ۴۰% red meat German sausage and physico-chemical, antioxidant, and color changes of the samples during ۱, ۱۰, ۲۰, and ۳۰ days after production (in refrigerator conditions) were compared with the control (without cochineal pigment, essential oil of cumin, and ۱۲۰ ppm sodium nitrite) sample. Results: The findings of the study showed that this substitution did not have a significant (P > ۰.۰۵) effect on physico-chemical properties, and by increasing the concentration of cochineal pigment in the samples, the antioxidant properties of the samples significantly increased. The samples containing ۴۰۰ or ۶۰۰ ppm of cochineal pigment with ۰.۰۰۴ %w/w of cumin in the formulation were not significantly different from control sample in terms of antioxidant properties and were selected as superior treatment. Conclusion: It is possible to produce a healthy German sausage without nitrite by using cochineal pigment and cumin essential oil.  

Cochineal pigment, Cumin essential oil, Red Mmat, Sausage, Sodium nitrite