Evaluating the feasibility of using Salicornia herbacea powder as a salt substitute in sausage production

This study was conducted to evaluate the potential use of <i>Salicornia herbacea</i> as a salt substitute in three types of sausages, namely: emulsion, semi-dried, and dried. <i>Salicornia herbacea</i> powder (SHP) was partially substituted with NaCl to prepare the sausages, offering a potential solution to the health concerns associated with excessive sodium intake. SHP is a natural halophyte known for its tolerance to saline conditions and rich nutritional profile, including various minerals and antioxidants. The use of SHP in food products has been limited, and this study aims to explore its feasibility as a salt substitute in sausage production. SHP decreased pH but increased CIE b* and hardness significantly (p<0.05), regardless of the sausage type. CIE a* was decreased by the addition of SHP to both emulsion-type and dried sausages (p<0.05). The yield of emulsion-type and dried-sausages increased with the addition of SHP (p<0.05), whereas that of semi-dried sausages was unaffected by addition of SHP (p>0.05). SHP addition affected the changes in adhesiveness of emulsion-type or semi-dried sausages (p<0.05), whereas all texture properties of semi-dried sausages were affected by SHP addition (p<0.05). Overall, SHP affected color change and increased hardness regardless of sausage type but could be used as a substitute for NaCl in emulsion-type, semi-dried, and dried sausages.