LAUSR

Abstract Mulberry polyphenol (MP), enriched with antioxidant ingredients, presents enormous potential as a natural antioxidant in meat products. This study investigated the effect of MP on physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity and bio-safety of Cantonese sausages during storage at room temperature (approximately 25 °C) for 28 days. Sausages were prepared with the addition of MP (0.5 or 1.0 g/kg), sodium nitrite (0.1 g/kg, positive control) and no antioxidant (negative control), respectively. The results showed that MP had little negative effect on the sausage physicochemical properties though it decreased the lightness and redness of the sample. MP exhibited a protective effect against lipid and protein oxidation-induced damage in sausage as sample incorporated with 1.0 g/kg MP showed rather lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (0.60 mg MDA/kg sausage dw.) and carbonyl contents (5.88 nmol/mg protein), and higher sulfhydryl value (42.99 nmol/mg protein) than the negative control. Besides, MP could effectively control the increment of the volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) value and microbial stability in sausage during storage. These results indicate that MP could be valorized as promising natural antioxidant to reduce oxidation and improve safety in Cantonese sausages.