Abstract：The effect of adding different amounts of burdock dietary fiber (0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, 1.00%and 1.25%) on the color, pH, water holding capacity, cooking loss rate and texture parameters of sausages was investigated in order to find the optimum amount of burdock dietary fiber for improved sensory quality of sausages. The color of sausages with added burdock dietary fiber became darker and tended to turn from red to yellow. A significant correlation between weakened red color and increased water holding capacity existed. The darkened yellow color may be due to the co-existence of burdock dietary fiber and carotenoids. The pH of sausages was positively proportional to the amount of burdock dietary fiber as a consequence of high ash content of burdock dietary fiber. Moreover, the water holding capacity of sausages went up with increasing amount of burdock dietary fiber;however, an opposite trend was observed for the cooking loss rate. In addition to increased water holding capacity, reduced cooking loss rate was presumably related to enhanced fat binding capacity. Texture parameters of sausages were also markedly affected by the presence of burdock dietary fiber. The hardness was directly proportional to the amount of burdock dietary fiber, whereas the springiness tended to increase at first and then decrease. The addition of burdock dietary fiber at a level exceeding 1%had a seriously negative effect on sensory scores of sausages.
2013, Vol. 27 
