Quality traits of Ciauscolo salami from meat of pigs fed rosemary extract enriched diet

The microbiological, chemical-physical and organoleptic characteristics of four batches of Ciauscolo salami, two made from meat of pigs fed diet integrated with 0.2% of rosemary extract (RS) and two controls (CSs), were considered. Three samples for each batch were in double analyzed for total bacterial count at 30°C, enumeration of lactococci, lactobacilli, staphylococcus coagulase positive, enterococci, Enterobacteriaceae, and isolation of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, after filling and at 7 and 20 days of ripening. On the same samples, measurement of pH (pHmeter MP120; Mettler-Toledo Spa, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland), activity water (aw) (Hygroscope BT-RS1 Rotronic; PBI International, Milan, Italy) and CIE L*a*b* colour (Chromameter Minolta C400; Minolta Ltd., Osaka, Japan) were performed. Proximal composition, NaCl content (AOAC, 1990) thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARs) and panel test (ISO 8586-1:1993 and ISO 8586) were performed only on samples obtained at the end of the ripening time. No difference in proximal composition, pH, aw values and microbial counts between CS and RS samples were observed along the whole production period. Colour analyses reveal higher a* values in RS (10.79 vs 9.68, P<0.05). Higher TBARs mean value was recorded in CS at the end of ripening (1.12 vs 0.91 mg MDA/100g, P<0.01). Even if no statistical differences were recorded in all the parameters considered in sensory evaluation, the overall acceptance of RS samples tended to be higher than CS.