Antioxidant activity of rosemary extract, acerola extract and a mixture of tocopherols in sausage during storage at 8 °C

Sausage is an emulsified meat product that, due to its composition, undergoes physicochemical changes during its shelf life, which makes the use of additives for its conservation necessary. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of rosemary extract, acerola extract, and a mixture of tocopherols applied to industrialized sausages during storage at 8 °C. The antioxidant activity (IC 50 ) in vitro showed values of 0.043, 0.489, 0.494, and 0.509 mg/mL for sodium erythorbate, rosemary extract, acerola extract, and a mixture of tocopherols, respectively. Formulations of sausage obtained in industrial installations were evaluated in terms of physicochemical, microbiological, and sensorial analyses. The pH and acidity values were stable during 23 days of storage. Treatments 1 and 3 with acerola extract and a mixture of tocopherols associated with sodium erythorbate showed the best results against lipid oxidation (TBARs), respectively. The hydroperoxides were only found after the 12th day of storage, consequently reducing the formation of malondialdehyde. The treatments with natural antioxidants showed an antimicrobial effect for the group of mesophilic bacteria; their results did not exceed 4 log 10 CFU/g, while the control reached 5 log 10 CFU/g on the 23rd day of storage. In regard to other microorganisms evaluated, no significant differences were found between treatments with natural antioxidants. Thus, the natural extracts evaluated in association with sodium erythorbate contributed to the antioxidant action for the application on an industrial scale, as they improved the sausage characteristics after 23 days of storage at 8 °C.