Caraway (Carum carvi L.) essential oil improves quality of dry‐fermented sausages produced with different levels of sodium nitrite.

Caraway (Carum carvi L.) essential oil (CEO: 0.01, 0.05, 0.10 µl/g) was used in dry‐fermented sausages manufactured with 15% and 25% of fat and three levels of sodium nitrite (0, 75, 150 mg/kg). Dry‐fermented sausages were vacuum packed and stored (225 days) and their physico–chemical, microbial, and sensory attributes were assessed (a total of 288 dry‐fermented sausages were produced). The inclusion of CEO had a significant effect on pH, texture and color, odor, and flavor. Moreover, the partial and total replacement of sodium nitrite with CEO (0.01 µl/g) provided acceptable TBARS values (<0.3 mg MDA/kg) in low‐fat (15%) of sausages throughout the storage. The usage of CEO at 0.10 µl/g affected formation of atypical flavor. Generally, our findings confirmed that the CEO has promising potential for development of dry‐fermented sausages with reduced level of sodium nitrite, primarily regarding their oxidative stability. Practical applications: The usage of natural antioxidants is one of the key strategies in the novel meat industry. Concerning strong antioxidant potential, CEO could be used as an emerging antioxidant and potential substitute for sodium nitrite in meat processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]