Utilization of natural antioxidants:: Green tea extract and Thymbra spicata oil in Turkish dry-fermented sausage

Effect of natural (green tea extract, Thymbra spicata oil) and synthetic antioxidants (buthylatedhydroxytoluene, BHT) on the safety (biogenic amine and TBARS values) and quality (pH, colour and sensory attributes) of sucuk (Turkish dry-fermented sausage) were investigated during the ripening periods. Addition of antioxidants decreased (P < 0.05) the TBARS values. It was found that natural antioxidants decreased TBARS formation more than BHT. Antioxidants reduced (P < 0.05) putrescine formation in the following order: green tea extract > green tea extract-T spicata oil > T spicata oil > BHT, and their mean values were 70.45, 76.05, 83.13, and 95.97 mg/kg, respectively. The highest tyramine concentration was observed in control sucuk prepared without any antioxidants, while the lowest was in the recipe with green tea extract as their mean values were about 99.42 and 64.31 mg/kg, respectively. The pH, L, b, and overall sensory quality were not significantly different (P > 0.05) with the addition of green tea extract, T spicata oil, green tea extract-T spicata oil. These results indicated that the most effective antioxidant was found to be green tea extract. This study pointed out that natural antioxidants were more effective than synthetic antioxidants, so they could be easily utilized in sucuk to enhance quality and provide safer products. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.