The effects of potassium chloride usage on product properties of heat-treated sucuk production

In the study, the effects of five different NaCl/KCl combinations (control-100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 and 0/100) on the microbiological (lactic acid bacteria, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus and Enterobacteriaceae), physicochemical (aw, pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances-TBARS, color, non-protein nitrogenous substance -NPN-M) and sensory properties of heat-treated sucuk were investigated. The production was carriedout under controlled conditions and analyzes were carried out on samples obtained from certain stages of production (batch, after fermentation, after heat treatment and after drying). In addition, the final product had been analyzed for sensory properties. NaCl/KCl combination, production stage and interactions of these two factors were showed very important effect (P<0,01) on aw, pH and TBARS values with lactic acid bacteria and Micrococcus/Staphylococcus number. Enterobacteriaceae count was found under the detectable level in all groups. The production stage had very significant (P <0,01) effect on NPN-M value, while NaCl/KCl combination had no effect (P> 0,05) on NPN-M. While NaCl/KCl combination did not affect on L*, a* and b* values (P> 0,05), the production stage caused statistically significant differences (P<0,01) on all color values. As a result of sensory analysis performed at the final product, it was determined that odor and taste scores decreased considerably in the case of using only KCl (0/100) as a salt in heat treated sucuk production (P <0,01). The combinations of 25/75 and 0/100 showed lower values than control group (100/0) in terms of textures and general acceptability scores. As a conclusion, it is thought that 50% of NaCl could be replaced with KCl in the production of heat-treated sucuk.