Abstract:
The effect of varying concentrations of essential oil (EO) extracts from T. tetraptera pods on the sensory characteristics and microbial quality of fresh pork sausages were evaluated. Gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) analysis of the extract revealed thirty-two (32) chemical compounds which included organic acids, phenols and alcohols, including eugenol. Sausages were prepared from de-boned ham, divided into four batches and mixed with black pepper and garlic (0.5% each). Three batches were treated with three levels of Tetrapleura tetraptera extract (0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6%) and the fourth batch served as control (without T. tetraptera). Sausage samples were grilled for 35 minutes to an internal temperature of 71oC, cut into 2cm length and placed in air-tight disposable containers for evaluation.The test of organoleptic properties of cooked products showed that there were no significant differences (P˃0.05) between the T. tetraptera treated products and the control with respect to the juiciness, crumbliness and flavour. However, there was significant difference (P˂0.05) in palatability as the level of extract inclusion increased beyond 0.2%. There were no significant effects (P˃0.05) of the treatments on microbial counts in the products. Similarly, there was no significant effect (P˃0.05) of storage times (0, 3 and 6 days) at 4°C on microbial counts. L. monocytogenes, S. enteric spp. and E. coli were not susceptible to the T. tetraptera at concentrations ≤1%.
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