Antioxidant Activity of Tomato Powders as Affected by Water Solubility and Application to the Pork Sausages

This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant activity of oven-dried (60 degrees C) tomato powder (TP) as affected by water solubility and to evaluate the effects of TP on the physico-chemical properties, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of emulsified pork sausages with two levels of TP (1% and 2%). After fresh tomatoes were homogenized and dried at 60 degrees C oven, they were extracted by stirring with water. Then, the aqueous solution was filtered, and water soluble and insoluble tomato powders were obtained with freeze drying. In experiment I, total phenolic contents in oven-dried tomato powder, water soluble and insoluble powder were more than 2 g/100 g. The radical scavenging activity and iron-chelation ability of the water-insoluble extracts were higher than those of dried TP and water-soluble extracts. In experiment II, pH values and Hunter L values of pork sausages formulated with TP were reduced. However, hunter a and b values were higher than those of the control, and those effects were increased with increased levels of TP. 2-Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values of pork sausages containing TP were lower than that of the control during refrigerated storage, regardless of the TP level. These results indicated that TP could be used as a natural color agent and antioxidant in meat products without defects.