Technological suitability of mutton for meat cured products.

A comparative study on the technological suitability of mutton and pork for meat cured products was carried out. One type of cured dry sausages was made of mutton and the other of pork, using the same formulation and technological conditions. Thus, the evolution of physico-chemical and microbiological parameters, as well as colour and texture were measured at three different stages of the process: after mincing, after fermentation and after drying. The sensory parameters were assessed in the final product. Both mutton and pork had a similar technological aptitude during processing of cured dry sausages, with a similar evolution of the pH value, a(w) and Lactobacilli counts. The main differences between both types of sausage were observed in texture, colour and in the organoleptic characteristics, having mutton sausages greater cohesivity and more stable and redder colour than pork sausages. Besides, mutton sausages showed an aroma, flavour and texture that were not desirable for the panellists.