ADDITION OF CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum L.) AND DEHYDRATED TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum) ON ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY AND SHELF-LIFE OF FRANKFURTER SAUSAGE

Abstract

The combination of fruits and pulses with meat products proved to have beneficial effects on food quality and consumers. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and dehydrated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) on the nutritional quality, antioxidant capacity, and shelf life of Frankfurter sausages. A higher content of tomato and chickpea are expected to improve the antioxidant capacity and stability of the product. The physicochemical characteristics, the antioxidant capacity, the microbial count, and the sensory characteristic of four sausage formulations —containing two levels of chickpea flour and tomato powder— were evaluated. The experimental design for the physicochemical and microbial analysis was factorial (5´4) with formulation and storage time as factors; the design for antioxidant activity and sensory evaluation was completely random and it was analyzed with a one-way ANOVA and the means were compared with Tukey test (p£0.05). Chickpea and tomato did not significatively modify the protein and carbohydrate content, unlike fiber and moist. Shelf life (Aw) decreased in time as a result of the interaction of the factors. Tomato reduced the oxidation levels and increased the internal and external color of the sausages. The total phenolic content showed that tomato and chickpea are sources of antioxidants. The antioxidant capacity of tomato and chickpea could reduce the use of synthetic additives in sausages. The higher tomato content in the formulation had an antimicrobial function, whereas a higher tomato and a lower chickpea content resulted in a greater acceptability. Therefore, the conclusion is that the addition of chickpea and tomato reduced microbial growth and improved nutritional and sensory characteristics, as well as antioxidant capacity, proving that this alternative can reduce the inclusion of chemical additives.