TECHNOLOGICAL AUXILIARY AGENT FOR TREATMENT OF NATURAL SAUSAGE CASINGS

It is shown that the main reason for lowering the quality of sausages in natural casings is the damage of their surfaces by fungi, yeasts, saprophytic staphylococci and putrefactive aerobic bacteria. Analytic data on the application of food organic acids and compositions based on them in sausage casing technologies are given. General requirements for components and antimicrobial compositions based on them are quoted. Safety and efficiency are the principle ones in terms of pathogenic microbes of sausage deterioration. Study results on the development of antimicrobial compositions as processing aids in natural casing treatment are presented. The following compositions have been tested: those with lactic, acetic, propionic, formic, sulphamic, oxalic and ascorbic acids; sodium lactate, acetate, propionate and citrate; sodium metabisulphite; polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride and alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride. Physical and chemical parameters (density, surface tension, titratable and active acidity) and antagonistic activity of antimicrobial compositions have been identified. Synergistic effect for decrease of surface tension for aqueous solutions of the compositions has been found. A composition with buffer solutions of sodium lactate and food acids along with polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride and alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride has been chosen in the result of antagonistic activity assessment. A minimum effective concentration of 0.6% for the composition aqueous solution in reference to pathogenic microbes in test cultures has been determined. It is shown that the new composition is effective as a processing aid for natural sausage casing treatment to enhance product safety and storability.