title: Chemical and optical characterization of white efflorescences on dry fermented sausages under modified atmosphere packaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dry fermented sausages that are packed under modified atmosphere are often affected by the formation of white crystals on the surface. These so called efflorescences are rejected by consumers and lead to high financial losses for the meat processing industry. In this study, the distribution of efflorescence-causing components was investigated over the sausage profile during 8 weeks of storage under modified atmosphere at 4 °C. In addition, two visual methods (image and sensory analyses) were compared regarding the ability to quantify the efflorescence content.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The initial formation of efflorescences was observed after 2 weeks (7%). After 4 weeks of storage, 23.4% of the sausage surface was covered with efflorescences, and the amount of efflorescences did not change significantly by the end of storage. Furthermore, chemical analyses revealed that magnesium (increased by 98.1%), lactate (increased by 54.2%) and creatine (increased by 51.8%) are enriched on the sausage surface during storage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sensory and image analyses lead to comparable results (r = 0.992) and therefore both are suitable to quantify the amount of efflorescences. The moisture gradient in the interior of the sausages which is built upon drying is supposed to be the driving force for the movement of efflorescence-causing compounds. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Physics and Meat Science, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix H
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3890-4326
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Walz
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Physics and Meat Science, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gibis
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Physics and Meat Science, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Soft Matter Science and Dairy Technology, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hinrichs
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Physics and Meat Science, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003890:Desiccation; D018857:Food Packaging; D061353:Food Storage; D006801:Humans; D008461:Meat Products / Q000032:analysis*; D013552:Swine; D013649:Taste
keywords: creatine; crystallization; lactate; magnesium; mass transport