MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES OF SAUSAGES FROM DIFFERENT PRODUCTION MODELS

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the microbiological, color and sensory attributes of sausages produced by different production modes. The sausages in control group (C) were made in a meat pilot plant laboratory, which is under the supervision of Veterinary State Authority and meets all the requirements for the production and sale of meat products on the market. Three hobby manufacturers simulated house-hold production mode (HMA, HMB and HMC) and made sausages from the same meat and using the same recipe in three different procedures for filling, cooking and smoking sausages. The results confirmed the correctness of the requirement for heat treatment inside the meat product (70 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes). Significant differences between production modes (P < 0.05) were found in basic chemical composition and in colour measurements of the sausages while significant effect on microbiological findings and sensory traits were not determined. An important requirement is to prevent cross-contamination when handling heat-treated meat products.