Free fatty acid (FFA) content increased during the storage at 22 and
37 °C in both vacuum and N2 atmosphere. However, FFA remained
stationary in 100% N2, and vacuum (after 30 day and 60 days, respectively)
of sausages storage in S-pack (PET-X/PE; PET-A/PE) at 22 °C.
Overall sensory scores were significantly (Pb0.05) affected by the
different packaging material, and the different storage time and
temperature.
Sensory evaluation revealed that nitrogen atmosphere packaging
allowed longer storage (>120 days) than vacuum (95 days) packaged
dry fermented sausages at 4 °C. The shelf-life, based on the sensory
evaluation, at 22 °C was reduced to 30 and 40 days for the
samples packaged in both packaging materials in vacuum and N2 atmosphere,
respectively. All samples, regardless of packaging material
and/or method, had a shelf-life of 15 days at 37 °C.