Effects of rosemary and ginger on the storage quality of western‐style smoked sausage

The effects of rosemary and ginger on the storage quality of western-style sausage were investigated. Both the additives, the rosemary had the higher total phenol content (31.36 mg GAE/g DW) and the better scavenging capacity (88.12%). Rosemary and ginger increased the a* values of sausage significantly (p < .05). They all decreased the pH values, TBARS values, and volatile basic nitrogen values of sausage significantly (p < .05). With the extension of time, the inhibition effect was more significant (p < .05), which ensured the quality of the sausage. Rosemary increased the hardness, springiness, and chewiness of sausage (p < .05). Ginger reduced the hardness and chewiness (p < .05), but it increased the springiness of sausage (p < .05). Rosemary and ginger could inhibit the growth and reproduction of spoilage microorganisms and extend the shelf life of the products. Shelf life is extended by 4 days when ginger was added, while it was prolonged by 5 days when rosemary was added. Above them, the additives had good antioxidant ability and could improve the quality of the western-style smoked sausage. Compared with ginger, rosemary had the better effect. Practical applications Rosemary and ginger have attracted a lot of attention because of their great antioxidant and antibacterial properties. This paper studies the effects of rosemary and ginger on the storage quality of the western-style smoked sausage. It has shown that rosemary and ginger can improve texture characteristics of the products and keep the color of the product to some extent. Furthermore, they have high total phenol content and good ability to scavenge DPPH and ABTS free radicals. So they can inhibit the growth and reproduction of spoilage microorganisms and extend the shelf life of the products. Shelf life is extended by 4 days when ginger was added, while it was prolonged by 5 days when rosemary was added, which can provide references for the theoretical research on the combination of natural preservatives and air-conditioned packaging. However, the effect of the combination of rosemary and ginger needs further study. Moreover, the two additives all have a unique taste, which can influence the taste of the products. This problem needs to be solved.