Sensory characteristics were estimated after 2 and 6 weeks by a test
panel (Fig. 2). Colour, aroma, taste, texture and general aspect of the
HHP-treated sausages were consistently less favoured after 2 weeks as
compared to the non HHP-treated sausages, for salami (Fig. 2a) as
well as for morr (Fig. 2c). Differences in the sensory characteristics between
the HHP- and non HHP-treated sausages were less marked
after 6 weeks maturation, for salami (Fig. 2b) as well as for morr
(Fig. 2d). Freezing of raw material produced a slight improvement of
final sensory characteristics of the HHP-treatedmeat products. This improvement
was more noticeable after 6 weeks for salami as well as for
morr. It has been reported that freezing of beef carpaccio prior to HHP
treatments helps to maintain its chromatic parameters (Szerman
et al., 2011). Low-temperature HHP of frozen beef meat has also been
suggested to prevent colour degradation as the fresh meat normal colour
is recovered after thawing (Fernandez et al., 2007).
Results from triangle tests (results not shown) also showed that the
test panel differentiated between samples thatwere processedwith and
without HHP, and also between refrigerated HHP and frozen HHP
samples (salami and morr, both after 2 and 6 weeks). After 2 weeks
maturation the test panel preferred refrigerated salami and morr over
refrigerated HHP salami and morr (p ≤ 0.05). The test panel also preferred
frozen HHP salami and morr over refrigerated HHP salami and
morr. After 6 weeks maturation these differences were no longer so
evident, and only the difference between HHP refrigerated salami and
HHP frozen salami was still significant, the panellists still preferred
frozen HHP salami.
The samples were treated with 600 MPa during 6 min. It is reported
that pressures above 400 MPa cause the myoglobin to denature and
may result in oxidation of unsaturated lipids (Bak et al., 2012; Ma &
Ledward, 2013). Substantial optimizing of the process is necessary to
make HHP pre-processed trimmings relevant in the market. Reduction
of pressure level without compromising the safety and controlled