Microbiological, physicochemical, and sensorial quality of vacuum-packed sausage from thornback ray ( Raja clavata L., 1758) at chilled storage

The aim of this study, sausage producing technology was used to increase the quantity of consumable thornback ray ( Raja clavata L., 1758) owing to their low muscle quality and high cartilage tissue. The physicochemical and microbial qualities were investigated during 56 days under vacuum storage conditions at 4 o C. In addition the analyses of chemical composition, color and sensorial quality were evaluated. Increasing in pH, Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB/N), Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs), Total mesophilic count (TMC), Enterococci, Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were found statistically significant (p<0.05) in sausage throughout storage. The contents of water, protein, fat and ash were 66.34±0.10%, 22.35±0.47%, 2.4±0.56% and 3.73±0.21%, respectively. The Lightness (L), red/green tendency (a), yellow/blue tendency (b), whiteness (w) from the color measurements were established 49.19± 2.77, 10.77± 0.60 and 11.18± 2.02 and 46.85± 2.91, respectively. The sausage from thornback ray reached their maximum acceptable TMC on days 42 under vacuum storage conditions at 4 o C. However, TVB/N, TMA/