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Fresh pork sausages formulated with and without salt, and with antioxidant mixtures containing either rosemary extract, green tea powder, pu-erh tea infusion or borage meal and their mixtures with ascorbic acid, were packaged in an atmosphere containing four parts O 2 with one part CO 2 (v/v) and stored in the dark for 20 days. In a series of three experiments, the following parameters were measured at 4-day intervals: instrumental colour (CIE L * and a * ), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), aerobic psychrotroph counts and sensory off-odour and discolouration. NaCl caused a decrease of the L * value and promoted lipid oxidation, but it protected sausages from discolouration. Green tea powder, pu-erh tea infusion and borage meal caused a strong inhibition of lipid oxidation, dependent on the concentration used, but they failed to protect sausages from colour loss, even in the presence of ascorbic acid. Rosemary extract plus ascorbic acid strongly inhibited lipid oxidation and therefore off-odour formation, delayed sausage discolouration and inhibited microbial growth, extending the shelf-life of salted fresh pork sausages by at least 4 days.

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Fresh pork sausages containing natural colorants, red yeast rice powder (Monascus purpureus; Frame  ) or a crude red beet root (Beta vulgaris) juice or commercial betanin (E-162), at different concentrations, were packaged in an atmosphere containing 80% O 2 and 20% CO 2 and stored in the dark for 20 days. The following parameters were measured at 4 day intervals: instrumental colour (), reflectance spectra, sensory discoloration (trained panel) and acceptability and willingness to purchase (habitual and non-habitual consumer panels) under two different lighting displays (standard fluorescent and Promolux  lamp). The use of colorants improved the colour properties of fresh pork sausages. Sausages with red yeast rice, red beet root juice and betanin had lower L * and h * and higher a * and a * /b * values than control samples. The colour properties of sausages with red beet root were the closest to control sausages, while sausages with red yeast rice had significantly lower b * values. Both natural colorants and betanin protected sausages from discoloration and extended acceptability and willingness to purchase by about 4 days, according to evaluation by habitual consumers under two different types of lighting display. Therefore, red beet root juice may be envisaged as the most suitable natural colorant for use in fresh pork sausages.