Effect of partial substitution of nitrite in sausage formulation by rosemary essential oil and red beet powder

This study was aimed to investigate substitution of nitrite in sausages formulation. For this purpose, sausage samples were produced using 60 ppm nitrite combined with a mixture of red beet powder and rosemary essential oil in the form of four treatments including: T1 (1.5% beet 0.02% rosemary), T2 (1.5% beet 0.04% rosemary), T3 (3% beet 0.02% rosemary) and T4 (3% beet 0.04% rosemary) and control sample produced by 120 ppm nitrite (without beet powder and rosemary essential oil). All samples stored in the refrigerator for 35 days and physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties were evaluated. The results showed that thiobarbituric acid and peroxide values in control sample had the highest amounts of 0.16-0.65 and 0.36-1.37, respectively, during the study, but the lowest values were related to T4 by amounts of 0.06-0.39 and 0.13-0.92, respectively (P0.01). Generally, the results indicated the possibility of partial replacement of nitrite using a combination of rosemary essential oil and red beet powder.