Effect of Monascus as a nitrite substitute on color, lipid oxidation, and proteolysis of fermented meat mince

Monascus spp. are fungi, traditionally eaten in Asian countries, that have the the potential to be used as a nitrite substitute in meat-product processing. Effects of using Monascus ruber MJ-1 as a nitrite substitute on color, lipid oxidation and proteolysis of fermented meat mince were investigated in this study. After 4 days of fermentation, a* and L* values for the samples were significantly higher and lower than the values for the control, respectively; however, b* values were significantly lower than that of the control throughout the fermentation process (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Monascus ruber MJ-1 fermentation decreased the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) value and increased the myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) value of meat mince significantly (p < 0.05). SDS-PAGE results further indicated that myofibrillar proteins were degraded during fermentation, while sarcoplasmic proteins were not. These results suggest prospects for the broad application of Monascus as a nitrite substitute in meat processing.