Effect of Formulation on the Quality of Clean-Label Pasteurized Celta Pork Sausages

The design of clean-label foods aligns with consumer demand. In this study, three batches of pasteurized sausages were manufactured. Control elaborated with synthetic additives, following the formulation used by the company (with colorants [E-160c; E-120], preservatives [E-621; E-250; E-325], antioxidants [E-316; E-331iii], gelling agents/texturizers [E-451; E-407], and soy protein [allergen] and two batches of reformulated sausages (R1: with only two synthetic antioxidants [E-331iii; E-301] and without allergens, and R2: without any synthetic additives or allergens)). In both reformulated batches, the synthetic additives were replaced by vegetable extracts, fibers, and proteins. The effect of formulation on the chemical composition, physicochemical properties (color, pH, and hardness), oxidative stability (TBARs), presence of pathogenic microbials, and sensory quality of the pasteurized sausages was evaluated. Shelf life was studied for 3 months at 2 °C (vacuum-packed). Reformulation significantly increased liquid release (5.66–14.9% in R2 and R1, respectively, vs 2.71% in control) during pasteurization, which produced significant differences in chemical composition (R2 samples had higher moisture and lower fat and protein content in comparison with the other batches). The use of nitrites and synthetic colorants in the control samples led to significant differences in color parameters (control samples had the highest redness and lowest yellowness values during all shelf life). Control sausages had higher hardness values (65–84N) than the reformulated ones (30–42N) due to the use of gelling and thickening agents. The control batch showed the lowest thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values (∼0.20 mg MDA/kg), remaining unchanged throughout refrigerated storage, which is related to the addition of synthetic antioxidants and nitrite. Sensory analysis revealed that the reformulation did not affect the acceptability of any of the attributes evaluated by consumers. Therefore, it can be concluded that the development of clean-label pasteurized sausages, especially with the R2 formulation, is feasible without compromising the nutritional, sensory, or stability quality of the product. However, future studies are needed to address the issue of liquid release during pasteurization.