The effect of paprika, garlic and salt on rancidity in dry sausages.

Eight batches of ground fat and eight batches of a mixture of meat and fat (70 and 30%, respectively), were prepared by adding salt, paprika and garlic, in the proportions used for making chorizo - a dry fermented sausage - stuffed into natural casings and then ripened. The evolution of rancidity in these products was evaluated by means of total free fatty acid content, peroxide value and TBARS during the ripening period. Spanish paprika and salt showed antioxidant and prooxidant properties, respectively. Paprika was even able to inhibit the prooxidant effect of salt. Also, four batches of chorizo were made to compare the antioxidant effect of the spices (garlic and paprika) with a mixture of nitrate, nitrite and ascorbic acid. In this respect, paprika and garlic were as effective as the mixture of additives in inhibiting lipid oxidation.