Effect of antioxidant vitamins on the quality of chevon sausage during refrigerated storage

Refrigerated storage of the chevon sausages prepared from the pre-blended g round chevon (GC) with ascorbic acid (AA) or tocopherol acetate (TA) alone or in combination indicated that AA + TA samples had a significantly (P<0.0 5) lower emulsion pH, higher emulsion stability and sausage cooking yield a s compared to the control and AA samples. On the other hand, the AA + TA gr oup had a significantly (P<0.05) lower TBARS number, PV, FFA%, while AA sam ples had a significantly lower pH and TA batch showed a significantly highe r W-B shear force during the storage period, AA + TA treated sausages showe d a significantly lower lactobacilli count as compared to the control batch , while the TA sausages had a significantly lower enterobacteriaceae count when compared to the AA sausages. The sensory quality of the sausages showe d that the AA + TA group got significantly (P<0.05) higher scores in respec t of colour and appearance, flavour, juiciness, texture and overall palatab ility as compared to other pre-blended samples during a storage period of 8 and 12 days, indicating the synergistic effect of AA and TA. The pre-blend ed sausages with 600 ppm AA and 10 ppm TA extended the shelf life up to 8 d ays against 4 days in the control sample during the refrigerated storage.