Effect of tea-polyphenol/β-cyclodextrin/NaCl inclusion complexes as a salt substitute on quality of low-salt Sichuan-style sausages

An abundance of low-salt sausages had emerged in the market as high salt intake may pose health risks to humans while their limited shelf-life become an urgent issue. In this study, tea-polyphenol/β-cyclodextrin/NaCl inclusion complexes (ICs) with thermal stability and better antioxidant activity were successfully prepared, their effects on the quality of low-salt sausages were investigated. The sausages were manufactured with the addition of ICs and NaCl with or without tea-polyphenols respectively, and they were stored at 25 °C for 28 days. IC group exhibited significantly lower oxidation of lipids and protein as the tea-polyphenols in the ICs could exert better antioxidant properties because of the special encapsulation structure. Besides, ICs could inhibit the growth of pathogens preventing the off-flavor. Also, ICs promoted the growth of P. pentosaceus with a strong antioxidant capacity in the sausage model, which maintained the existing pleasant flavor by preventing the oxidation of phenol and alcohol compounds. Meanwhile, ICs also accelerated the growth of Tetragenococcus, which contributed to flavor development at the later stages of fermentation by producing more esters. Hence, it was suggested that ICs could be utilized as a promising salt replacement to improve the quality of traditional Sichuan-style sausages.