Effect of nitrate, nitrite and ascorbate on colour and colour stability of dry, fermented sausage prepared using 'back slopping'.

The effect of various levels of nitrite and nitrate, with and without ascorbate, in sausages prepared using 'back slopping' as inocluation, was investigated in three series of experiments. In all experiments, nitrite was rapidly depleted and nitrate formed. Nitrate was not used, probably because of the lack of (active?) micrococci in the starter sausage. Surface colour was found to be darker with increasing levels of nitrite. Irrespective of nitrate, colour stability was mainly promoted by residual ascorbate. The latter decreased with increasing nitrite levels.