Effect of tea-polyphenol/β-cyclodextrin/NaCl inclusion complexes as a salt substitute on quality of low-salt Sichuan-style sausages

An abundance of low-salt sausages had emerged in the market as high salt intake may pose health risks to humans while their limited shelf-life becomes an urgent issue. In this study, tea-polyphenol/β-cyclodextrin/NaCl inclusion complexes (ICs) with thermal stability and better antioxidant activity were successfully prepared, their effects on the quality of low-salt sausages were investigated. The sausages were manufactured with the addition of ICs and NaCl with or without tea-polyphenols respectively, and they were stored at 25 °C for 28 days. IC group exhibited significantly lower oxidation of lipids and protein as the tea-polyphenols in the ICs could exert better antioxidant properties because of the special encapsulation structure. Besides, ICs could inhibit the growth of pathogens preventing the off-flavor. Also, ICs promoted the growth of P. pentosaceus with a strong antioxidant capacity in the sausage model, which maintained the existing pleasant flavor by preventing the oxidation of phenol and alcohol compounds. Meanwhile, ICs also accelerated the growth of Tetragenococcus , which contributed to flavor development at the later stages of fermentation by producing more esters. Hence, it was suggested that ICs could be utilized as a promising salt replacement to improve the quality of traditional Sichuan-style sausages.