Journal of Food Processing and Preservation ISSN 1745-4549

TRACING NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF DRY FERMENTED

SAUSAGES FROM DISTINCT ORIGINS
SUSANA P. ALVES1*, CRISTINA M. ALFAIA1*, BILJANA KRBIC2, NATASA URIIC-MLADENOVIC2,
MARIA J. FERNANDES1, RUI J.B. BESSA1 and MARIA J. FRAQUEZA1,3
1
2

CIISA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon 1300-477, Portugal

Faculty of Technology, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia

Corresponding author.
TEL: 00351 213652880;
FAX: 00351 213652880;
EMAIL: mjoaofraqueza@fmv.ulisboa.pt
Received for Publication January 20, 2015
Accepted for Publication July 14, 2015
doi:10.1111/jfpp.12548
*These authors contributed equally to this
work.

ABSTRACT
The aim of this work was to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of commercially available dry fermented sausages from different origins tracing their
nutritional composition and extrapolating their potential health benefits to consumers. There is a great diversity in sausages proximal composition since each
producer has their own formulation, type of manufacture and uses of pig genotype, with no differentiation regarding products origin or diameter. The mineral
contents of fermented sausages differ probably due to variations in raw materials
and products formulation as a consequence of natural mineral occurrence. In
addition, the principal component analysis of fatty acid composition clearly discriminates the origin of dry fermented sausages. From the nutritional point of
view, the fermented sausages provide 3740% total fat, 1314% saturated fat,
0.480.52% cholesterol as well as 0.030.10% -tocopherol, which are inside of
the dietary recommendations.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
In the present study, the results contribute to a better chemical characterization of
different dry fermented sausages, establishing a nutritional profile with reference
values for the industry that has to comply with a mandatory requirement (EU
Regulation 1169:2011) provides nutritional information on the food label to the
consumer in order to transmit quality confidence and reliability on meat products. Also, it contributes to a better understanding about cholesterol level in these
products, minimizing heath issues related to the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

INTRODUCTION
Dry fermented sausages, smoked or not, manufactured with
pork and/or lean beef account for a significant part of traditional processed meat products. These traditional products
are included in the regular diet of consumers, and Europe is
the major producer and consumer of fermented sausages
(Kurcubic et al. 2014). Mediterranean fermented meat
products are in global market due to their particular sensorial characteristics. The traditional fermented sausages are
characterized by small-scale production and are strongly
identified with a place or region of origin, being seasoned
and processed with traditional know-how, while the industrial adaptation of processes amplified the production but
with some lack of identity.

Traditional meat processed products and their nutritional

composition is a discussion on the agenda related to health
issues. Nowadays, the intake of high levels of sodium chloride (NaCl), cholesterol and saturated fat is posing a threat
to public health, especially because of their relationship
with adverse cardiovascular effects (EFSA 2010). For this
reason, the World Health Organization has proposed to
limit the daily fat intake to less than 30% of the total calories and also to reduce the intake of saturated fatty acids
(SFA) and cholesterol.
In industrialized countries, approximately 3640% of the
total calories in the food supply come from fat, nearly half of
which is from meat and meat products intake (Ruiz-Capillas
et al. 2012). The cured sausages are pointed out among the
main food sources with high levels of salt and saturated fat

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation (2015) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

DRY FERMENTED SAUSAGES NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION

S.P. ALVES ET AL.

(Guallar-Castilln et al. 2012). Pork meat has often been

blamed for being too high in fat, especially in saturated fat.
The relatively high cholesterol level and low polyunsaturated/
saturated fatty acid ratio (PUFA/SFA) are risk factors for
some chronic diseases (Vannice and Rasmussen 2014). Moreover, a high unsaturated fat content in dry fermented sausages can raise lipid oxidation susceptibility, which is a major
reason of quality deterioration with negative effects on the
nutritional value (Hoz et al. 2004). The quality deterioration
by fat oxidation could be influenced by the long curing
periods given to sausages with higher diameters. Antioxidants
have been used to minimize oxidative processes. Tocopherols
counteract the oxidizing effects of lipids by scavenging free
radicals, which have been found to be the major promoters of
degenerative processes associated with cardiovascular diseases, aging, diabetes, Alzheimers diseases and some forms of
cancer (Chen et al. 2011).
There is a lack of information related to the chemical
composition of dry fermented sausages. Nutritional information should be provided on the label in order to transmit
quality and reliability on meat products. The present work
aims to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of dry
fermented sausages from Portugal and Serbia, tracing their
nutritional composition and extrapolating potential health
benefits to consumers. The fatty acid (FA) composition,
cholesterol, -tocopherol and mineral contents of fermented sausages were assessed for different sausages with
low (short curing period) and high diameter (longer curing
period). In addition, the FA composition data were explored
by principal component analysis (PCA) in order to differentiate fermented sausages origin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fermented Meat Sausage Sampling
Dry fermented sausages were purchased at retail in different
markets of Lisbon metropolitan area, Portugal, and of Novi
Sad, Serbia, between 2011 and 2012. Samples (n = 20) were
randomly selected from different producers on the basis
of their similar sensorial characteristics, main ingredients
and different diameters corresponding to different curing
conditions, so as to encompass a broadly representation of
commercially available meat products. Subsequently, the
samples were grouped according to their diameter and corresponding curing time (LD, low diameter 2.54.0 mm and
shorter curing time, n = 11, and HD, high diameter 4.5
5.5 mm and longer curing time, n = 9). The main ingredients discriminated in the label and sensorial characteristics
of the fermented sausages sampled are summarized in
Table 1. Samples were homogenized using a laboratory mill
(A11 Basic, IKA, Staufen, Germany), and then vacuum
packaged, frozen and stored at 20C until further analyses.
2

pH and Water Activity

The pH of the samples was evaluated using a pH meter (HI
9025; electrode FC 230B) equipped with a pH electrode (FC
230B, Hanna Instruments, Pvoa de Varzim, Portugal). Each
value was an average of three determinations. Water activity
(aw) was measured using a Rotronic Hygrometer station
(Rotronic Hygroskop DT, ROTRONIC Instruments UK
Ltd., West Sussex, UK). previously calibrated in three points
(0.5, 50 and 80% relative humidity standards at 23C).

Proximate Analysis
The proximate composition of fermented sausages was analyzed according to the methods as follows: moisture (ISO
1997), total ash (ISO 1998), crude protein (ISO 1978) and
crude lipid content (ISO 1973). The energy values of
samples were estimated in kcal/100 g using the Atwater
factors of crude lipids (9 kcal/g), crude protein and carbohydrates (4 kcal/g, respectively).

FA Analysis
The FA composition of the fermented sausages was determined as their fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) directly prepared from samples by a transesterification procedure
(OFallon et al. 2007) and analyzed by fast gasliquid
chromatography (Shimadzu GC-2010 Plus, Shimadzu,
Kyoto, Japan) equipped with flame ionization detector and
a SupraWax-280 capillary column (10 m, 0.10 mm i.d.,
0.10-m film thickness, Teknokroma, Barcelona, Spain).
Injector and detector temperatures were 250 and 280C,
respectively. Initial oven temperature of 120C was increased
at 35C/min to 175C and held for 0.5 min, then it was
increased at 70C/min to 260C and held for 6 min. Helium
was used as the carrier gas at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. Identification of FAME was achieved by comparison of the
FAME retention times with those of standards (FAME mix
37 components, Supelco, Inc., Bellefonte, PA) and by electron impact mass spectrometry using a Shimadzu GC-MS
QP2010 Plus (Shimadzu). The results for each FA were
expressed as a percentage of the sum of detected FA (g/100 g
of total FA). The contents of total saturated fatty acid (SFA),
monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated
fatty acid (PUFA) in 100 g of product were determined
taking into account the lipid conversion factors for pork
products (raw lean meat and fat), according to Anderson
(1976).

Cholesterol and Vitamin E

The simultaneous analysis of total cholesterol and tocopherols in the fermented sausages was performed according to

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation (2015) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

S.P. ALVES ET AL.

DRY FERMENTED SAUSAGES NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION

TABLE 1. CHARACTERIZATION OF FERMENTED SAUSAGES FROM PORTUGAL AND SERBIA

Origin

Characteristics Sausages
(diameter, cm) names/labels

Portugal Low diameter

2.53.0

Portugal High diameter

4.55.0

Serbia

Low diameter
3.04.0

Serbia

High diameter
4.55.0

Usual ingredients

Sensorial characteristics

Average pH
and aw

Mass connected with regular 5.69 0.074;

distribution of meat and
0.85 0.013
fat with marbled
appearance, reddish and
white or white orange,
and characteristic odor and
taste
Paio (F, H),
Pork lean meat and fat, red
Mass connected with regular 5.26 0.074;
pepper paste, paprika
distribution of meat and
0.86 0.013
Paio preto*
dextrose, ascorbic acid, curing
fat with marbled
(G),
salts, salt, white wine or/and
appearance, reddish and
Salsicho
grosso(I),
water, blood*, black pepper in
white orange (dark when
Chourio(J)
grain, cumin, cloves
blood is used) and
characteristic odor and
taste
Cajna
Pork meat, solid fat, salt, spices Mass connected with regular 4.79 0.070;
distribution of meat and
0.83 0.012
kobasica (K,
and spice extracts, sugar,
fat with marbled
M, O, P),
curing salts, ascorbic acid,
appearance, reddish and
Pikant
mixtures of additives and
white or white orange,
kobasica (L),
supplements (acidity regulator:
and characteristic odor and
glucono delta-lactone,
Domaca
taste
dextrose, antioxidant: sodium
salama (N)
isoascorbate), with facultative
addition of starters
Pork meat, solid fat, salt, spices, Mass connected with regular 4.96 0.085;
Kulen (S, T),
0.88 0.015
distribution of meat and
paprika extract, curing salts,
Sremski
fat with marbled
starter culture, mixtures of
kulen (Q),
appearance, reddish and
additives and supplements
Zimska
white orange, and
(acidity regulator: glucono
kobasica
characteristic odor and
delta-lactone, dextrose,
mangulica(R)
taste
antioxidant: sodium
isoascorbate, taste amplifier).
Linguia
(AC),
Chourio de
Carne(D),
Chourio de
vinho* (E)

Pork lean meat and fat, red

pepper paste, water or/and
wine, garlic paste, paprika,
salt, curing salts, cumin, black
pepper, blood*

Technological
characteristics
Ripening period
13 days,
Smoking period
58 days with
holm wood,
1 month of
curing
Ripening period
13 days,
smoking period
2 days with
holm wood,
curing 34
months
Ripening period
1 day, smoking
period 13
days, 3 weeks
of curing

Ripening period
1 day, smoking
period 13
days, 1 month
of curing

* Ingredient only added on sausage noted with a symbol.

Samples K, L, M and N were formulated also with beef.

Prates et al. (2006). The contents of total cholesterol and

tocopherols in sausages were calculated, in duplicate, based
on the external standard technique from a standard curve of
peak area versus content using dl--, d--, d-- and d-tocopherols (Calbiochem, Merck Biosciences, Darmstadt,
Germany) and cholesterol standards (Sigma Chemical Co.,
St. Louis, MO).

further analysis. All procedures were performed in triplicate, including the blank solutions (ISO 2005).
The samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometer (Varian AA240/GTA120, Mulgrave, Australia) with
deuterium background correction, equipped with graphite
furnace for electrothermal atomization. Argon was used as
the inert gas.

Statistical Analysis
Essential Micronutrients
Sausage samples (approximately 0.5 g) were placed in highpressure Teflon vessels, and 7 mL of HNO3 (69%) and 1 mL
of H2O2 (30%) were added for digestion of samples using a
microwave (Ethos One, Milestone, Italy) with segmented
rotor of high pressure (HPR-1000/10S) and internal temperature sensor. After digestion, samples were diluted with
Milli-Q water and transferred to a polypropylene vessel for

Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS

(SAS Institute, Cary, NC). Contrasts were constructed to
evaluate: (1) the effect of country; (2) the effect of diameter
in Portuguese sausages; and (3) the effect of diameter in
Serbian sausages.
To explore associations between the two countries, the FA
data were submitted to PCA using the STATISTICA software (StatSoft, Inc., Tulsa, OK, 2004).

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation (2015) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

DRY FERMENTED SAUSAGES NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION

S.P. ALVES ET AL.

(pH = 5.26). The fermented sausages presented similar

values of water activity independently of their origin
(P = 0.709); nevertheless, significant differences (P = 0.021)
were observed for Serbian sausages presenting higher values
for high diameter sausages (0.88) than those of low diameter sausages (0.83).
Figure 1 shows the results of proximate composition (i)
and energy (ii) of Portuguese and Serbian fermented sausages. The moisture content of fermented sausages from
Portugal and Serbia ranged between 24.3 and 29.9%. Total
fat and protein contents of these meat products ranged
from 35.3 to 40.7% and from 20.8 to 27.4%, respectively,

RESULTS
Proximate Analysis
Traditional fermented sausages were selected on the basis
of their composition and processing conditions so as to
encompass a broad representative sample of commercially
available meat products. The pH of Serbian sausages was
significantly (P < 0.001) lower than that of Portuguese sausages (Table 1). In Portuguese products, it was noticed that
the diameter significantly influenced the pH (P = 0.001),
with high diameter sausages presenting a lower mean value

LD

HD

HD

LD

100

g / 100 g

75

50

25

0
A

Portuguese sausages
Fat

LD

Serbian sausages
Protein

Moisture

Ash

HD

LD

HD

600
500

kcal / 100 g

400
300
200
100
0
A

Portuguese sausages

Serbian sausages
Energy

FIG. 1. PROXIMATE COMPOSITION (A) AND ENERGY (B) OF PORTUGUESE AND SERBIAN FERMENTED SAUSAGES OF LOW (LD) AND HIGH (HD)
DIAMETER

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S.P. ALVES ET AL.

DRY FERMENTED SAUSAGES NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION

without significant differences between countries or sausages diameters. The content of ashes was not significantly
different (P > 0.05). Since both sausages have low carbohydrate content, fat and protein are the main principal components linked to the high energy values (436480 kcal/
100 g), with no diameter or origin effect.

FA Composition
Table 2 presents the comparison of the FA composition (%
total fatty acids) and partial sums of FA (g/100 g product)
of Portuguese and Serbian fermented sausages according to
their diameter characteristics. Major differences in the FA
composition of sausages were observed between the two
countries. From the 13 FA affected (P < 0.05) by country,
only the 10:0, 16:0, 16:1cis-9 and 18:1cis-9 were higher in
Portuguese sausages compared with Serbian, whereas the

15:0, 18:0, 18:2n-6, 18:3n-3, 20:0, 20:2n-6, 20:3n-6, 20:4n-6,

22:5n-3 were higher in Serbian sausages. Regarding partial
sums of FA (Table 2), the patterns reflected the values
described for the major individual FA. Serbian sausages
showed the highest proportion of PUFA, reaching 5.8 g/
100 g in HD sausages, while Portuguese sausages showed
the highest proportion (5.5 g/100 g) of MUFA in LD sausages. A great variation in the content of MUFA, PUFA and
long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) in both Portuguese and
Serbian sausages was observed, with no diameter effect for
the Serbian sausages (P > 0.05). In contrast, the diameter of
the Portuguese sausages affected the proportion of a few
individual FA as well as the sums of PUFA and LC-PUFA
(Table 2). Indeed, the 16:0 and 18:0 were higher, and the
18:2n-6, 18:3n-3, 20:2n-6 and 20:3n-3 were lower in HD
compared with the LD sausages. On the contrary, the diameter of the Serbian sausages only affected (P < 0.05) the

TABLE 2. FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF PORTUGUESE AND SERBIAN FERMENTED SAUSAGES OF LOW (LD) AND HIGH (HD) DIAMETER
Origin

Portugal (n = 10)

Diameter

LD

Serbia (n = 10)

Contrast P value

HD

LD

HD

O*

D-PT

D-SER

Fatty acids (% of total fatty acids)

10:0
0.07 0.005
12:0
0.07 0.006
14:0
1.35 0.076
14:1cis-9
0.02 0.020
15:0
0.04 0.011
16:0
24.2 0.51
16:1cis-9
3.24 0.177
17:1cis-9
0.30 0.031
18:0
9.88 0.368
18:1cis-9
50.0 0.92
18:2n-6
8.37 1.04
18:3n-3
0.56 0.072
20:0
0.12 0.010
20:1n-9
0.96 0.070
20:2n-6
0.33 0.037
20:3n-6
0.05 0.006
20:4n-6
0.27 0.027
20:3n-3
0.11 0.012
22:5n-3
0.08 0.011
22:6n-3
0.02

0.08 0.005
0.09 0.006
1.51 0.076
0.02 0.020
0.04 0.011
26.6 0.51
3.32 0.177
0.33 0.031
11.8 0.37
49.1 0.92
5.24 1.04
0.27 0.072
0.12 0.010
0.82 0.070
0.20 0.037
0.04 0.006
0.23 0.027
0.06 0.012
0.05 0.011
nd

0.06 0.005
0.09 0.005
1.51 0.069
0.15
0.09 0.010
23.9 0.46
2.94 0.162
0.34 0.029
11.7 0.34
42.9 0.84
13.3 0.95
0.64 0.066
0.19 0.009
0.98 0.064
0.59 0.033
0.11 0.006
0.32 0.024
0.11 0.011
0.11 0.010
0.02

0.07 0.006
0.08 0.006
1.30 0.085
nd
0.06 0.012
23.5 0.57
2.53 0.198
0.33 0.035
11.8 0.41
41.5 1.03
15.5 1.16
0.73 0.080
0.17 0.011
0.82 0.078
0.63 0.041
0.14 0.007
0.39 0.031
0.10 0.013
0.16 0.013
0.03 0.005

0.030
0.582
0.707
<0.001
0.004
0.004
0.008
0.485
0.031
<0.001
<0.001
0.002
<0.001
0.883
<0.001
<0.001
0.002
0.100
<0.001

0.084
0.136
0.148
0.989
0.694
0.004
0.761
0.612
0.002
0.526
0.050
0.012
0.888
0.187
0.024
0.084
0.299
0.006
0.117

0.075
0.397
0.072

0.031
0.583
0.133
0.757
0.749
0.324
0.161
0.406
0.177
0.134
0.441
0.002
0.130
0.891
0.010

Partial sums (g/100 g product)

SFA
13.4 0.97
MUFA
20.3 1.29
PUFA
3.53 0.400
n-3 PUFA
0.26 0.030
n-6 PUFA
3.27 0.380
n-3 LC-PUFA
0.07 0.008
n-6 LC-PUFA
0.23 0.018

15.2 0.97
20.3 1.29
5.48 0.365
0.14 0.030
2.17 0.380
0.04 0.008
0.17 0.018

13.5 0.89
17.1 1.18
5.48 0.365
0.31 0.027
5.17 0.347
0.08 0.074
0.37 0.017

12.2 1.09
14.9 1.45
5.77 0.447
0.33 0.033
5.44 0.425
0.10 0.009
0.39 0.020

0.157
0.005
<0.001
0.001
<0.001
0.001
<0.001

0.193
0.983
0.047
0.011
0.058
0.033
0.035

0.336
0.244
0.625
0.652
0.635
0.223
0.477

* O, effect of origin: Portugal versus Serbia.

D-PT, effect of diameter on Portuguese sausages: LD versus HD.
D-SER, effect of diameter on Serbian sausages: LD versus HD.
Detected in only one of the samples analyzed.
MUFA, monounsaturated fatty acids; nd, not detected; PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acids; SFA, saturated fatty acids.

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DRY FERMENTED SAUSAGES NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION

S.P. ALVES ET AL.

6
5

Portuguese
sausages

4
3

Factor 2: 20.1%

1
0

-1

-2
-3

Q M

H
G

K
P

Serbian
sausages

-4

-5
-6
-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

Factor 1: 44.3%

proportions of three FAs. The 15:0 was lower and both

20:3n-6 and 22:5n-3 were higher in HD compared with LD
sausages.
The relationship between sausages (Portuguese and
Serbian) was explored by PCA and the score plot of the first
two components described together 64.4% of the total
variation (Fig. 2). The results suggests that PC1 (44.3% of
total variation) discriminates between Portuguese and
Serbian sausages. Portuguese sausages are mainly located on
the positive PC1, while Serbian sausages are located on the
negative PC1.

Cholesterol and -Tocopherol

Total cholesterol and -tocopherol contents in Portuguese
and Serbian fermented sausages are shown in Fig. 3. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed for total cholesterol of sausages regarding products origin or diameter.
The mean value of total cholesterol in Portuguese sausages
was 0.5 mg/100g (0.430.62 mg/100g) and in Serbian sausages was 0.48 mg/100 g (0.400.56 mg/100g).
The -tocopherol content was highest (P < 0.05) in
Serbian sausages (8.9 g/g) compared with the Portuguese
ones (3.8 g/g). However, no significant differences
(P > 0.05) between LD and HD sausages were observed.

Essential Micronutrients
The mean values of the essential elements in fermented Portuguese and Serbian sausages are given in Table 3. Portuguese and Serbian sausages showed significant differences
(P < 0.05) in Cr, Fe and Mn contents. The Cr and Fe were
about three times higher in Portuguese sausages compared
6

FIG. 2. SCORES PLOT OF PC1 VERSUS PC2

ILLUSTRATING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN
PORTUGUESE AND SERBIAN FERMENTED
SAUSAGES OF DIFFERENT PRODUCERS
(LABELED AT)

with the Serbian ones, while Mn contents were about four

times higher in Serbian than in Portuguese sausages. In
addition, significant differences (P < 0.05) between LD and
HD sausages were observed. The highest Fe content was
found for the LD Portuguese sausages (197 mg/kg), whereas
the highest value of Cu was found for the LD Serbian sausages (2.36 mg/kg).

DISCUSSION
The fermented sausages presented, in general, pH and aw
values in ranges that provide stability at ambient temperature conditions and safety for consumers (Fraqueza and
Barreto 2015). Serbian sausages presented a significantly
lower pH than the Portuguese probably influenced by the
sugar/dextrose added on Serbian fermented sausage formulation. This low pH could contribute to an acidity perception by Serbian consumers. In Portuguese sausages, it was
notice that the diameter influenced significantly the pH,
with HD sausages presenting lower values probably as a
consequence of a longer period of fermentation/curing
(about 34 months).
Protein content in Serbian and Portuguese sausages
(20.827.4%) satisfied the requested levels of quality guidelines (INSA 2006; OBRS 2012). Serbian sausages have less
than the double value of protein, being considered leaner
products. The higher values of fat in Portuguese and
Serbian sausages differ from the results presented by
Snchez-Zapata et al. (2013) for a similar Mediterranean
dry fermented sausage with equivalent levels of protein
(28.23%) and fat (29.52%). There is a great diversity in
proximal composition of the sausages analyzed since each
producer has their own formulation, type of manufacture

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S.P. ALVES ET AL.

DRY FERMENTED SAUSAGES NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION

LD

HD

HD

LD

0.7
0.6

mg / g

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
A

Portuguese sausages

Serbian sausages
Cholesterol

LD

HD

LD

HD

25

g / g

20

15

10

0
A

Portuguese sausages

Serbian sausages
alpha-Tocopherol

FIG. 3. CHOLESTEROL (A) AND -TOCOPHEROL (B) CONTENTS OF PORTUGUESE AND SERBIAN FERMENTED SAUSAGES OF LOW (LD) AND HIGH
(HD) DIAMETER

and uses of pork breed, which give a large variability, mainly

for protein and fat. Brito et al. (2010) concluded that differences in moisture contents among products depended on
the manufacture, with the lowest values presented by homemade sausages.
The FA composition of meat products affects the sensorial attributes, storage stability and shelf life, as well as their
nutritional value associated with consumers health (Wood
et al. 2008). The major FAs were 18:1cis-9 and 16:0, followed by 18:0 in Portuguese sausages and 18:2n-6 in
Serbian sausages. Similar results were observed for some
Portuguese and Serbian fermented sausages (Brito et al.
2010; Parunovic et al. 2014).

The FA deposition in fat depots and intramuscular

lipids of pigs largely reflects the dietary FA composition
(De Smet et al. 2004). Moreover, the FA composition of
pork can be easily manipulated through the feeding
regime. Thus, a great variability in the FA composition of
meat sausages from different origins and producers is
expected. In the present study, since sausages were purchased at retail level, no information was available about
the FA composition of pork ingredient and pigs diets.
However, the addition of Iberic pork in a few Portuguese
sausages could explain the higher content of 18:1cis-9,
which is provided by the acorn lipids during the finishing
period (Pugliese et al. 2009).

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DRY FERMENTED SAUSAGES NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION

S.P. ALVES ET AL.

TABLE 3. MINERAL COMPOSITION (MG/KG) OF PORTUGUESE AND SERBIAN FERMENTED SAUSAGES OF LOW (LD) AND HIGH (HD) DIAMETER
Origin

Portugal (n = 10)

Diameter
Nickel (Ni)
Cobalt (Co)
Chromium (Cr)
Copper (Cu)
Iron (Fe)
Manganese (Mn)

LD
0.08 0.034
nd
0.09 0.014
1.66 0.269
197 35.6
0.59 0.524

Serbia (n = 10)
HD
0.06 0.034
nd
0.10 0.014
1.27 0.269
85.4 35.61
0.40 0.524

LD
0.07 0.032
nd
0.03 0.016
2.36 0.245
47.4 32.51
2.14 0.478

Contrast P value
HD
0.04 0.038
nd
0.02 0.015
1.48 0.301
38.9 39.81
1.79 0.586

O*
0.638

<0.001
0.115
0.015
0.014

D-PT
0.595

0.613
0.320
0.041
0.801

D-SER
0.495

0.649
0.037
0.872
0.647

* O, effect of origin: Portugal versus Serbia.

D-PT, effect of diameter on Portuguese sausages: LD versus HD.
D-SER, effect of diameter on Serbian sausages: LD versus HD.
nd, not detected.

The highest content of PUFA in Serbian sausages might

be an evidence of different raw ingredients, particularly
from animals at different feeding regimes. Indeed, the
18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3, which in animals tissues are exclusively
provided by the diet, were those that most contributed to
the highest level of PUFA. Despite the nutritional benefits of
PUFA to the human diet, it might not be desirable in fermented sausages since it can lead to undesirable texture and
a potential increase of lipid oxidation, which contributes to
rancid odor (Hugo and Roodt 2007). The lower PUFA
content in HD Portuguese sausages compared with LD sausages could result from the highest lipid oxidation during
sausage processing. Indeed, HD Portuguese sausages had an
extended curing time of 34 months compared with the
other sausages, which tend to increase the lipid oxidation.
The PCA revealed that the FA composition of sausages
clearly distinguished the origin of the fermented sausages,
but not sausage diameters. Nevertheless, PCA can be a valuable tool in terms of traceability and authentication of traditional products according to their origin.
Regarding the dietary recommendations, the American
Heart Association (AHA 2014) strongly advises that the
total fat intake for healthy adults, based on a 2,000 calorie
diet, should be less than 30% of energy/day and saturated
fat should be less than 7% of energy/day. A daily consumption of an average portion of these sausages, which can be
estimated to be 50 g, would provide 8.49.1% of energy of
total fat and 2.93.2% of energy of saturated fat each day.
Cholesterol has a key role in membrane structure and is a
precursor for the synthesis of steroid hormones, vitamin D
and bile acids. Since the synthetic pathway is under feedback control from dietary cholesterol, the proportion of
cholesterol arising from de novo biosynthesis or from the
diet depends on the amount that is ingested (Ponte et al.
2004). Total cholesterol content in Portuguese and Serbian
fermented sausages agree with those described by Stajic
et al. (2011) for Serbian fermented sausages (4043 mg/
100 g), but below than those reported by Parunovic et al.
8

(2014) for traditional dry Kulen sausages (6280 mg/100 g).

Thus, the cholesterol content in fermented sausages may
greatly differ depending on its formulation. In addition, it is
generally accepted that there is higher cholesterol content of
beef depot fat compared with muscle tissue, but this does
not appear to be true for pork (Piironen et al. 2002).
Among the tocopherol homologues (-, -, and ),
-tocopherol presents the highest biological potential
(Muller et al. 2010). The prevalence of -tocopherol in meat
is well known due to the more than 10-fold preference of
the tocopherol-binding protein for -tocopherol (Decker
et al. 2000). Hoz et al. (2004) showed that lipid oxidation
of dry fermented sausages, which had been enriched with
-tocopherol, was lower compared to sausages without
addition. Dietary supplementation with -tocopherol
improves the stability of PUFA and cholesterol in muscle
against oxidative deterioration. In light of our results, a low
rate of oxidation susceptibility is expected for Serbian and
Portuguese fermented sausages (R and A, respectively) with
higher -tocopherol contents due a higher antioxidant
activity.
Looking on cholesterol and -tocopherol, a daily consumption of an average portion of 50 g of Serbian and Portuguese sausages would provide 2426 mg of cholesterol,
which corresponds to 89% of the maximum recommended daily cholesterol intake (<300 mg, AHA 2014), as
well as 0.130.51 mg of -tocopherol, which represents
0.853.4% of the current recommended intake of vitamin E
(15 mg/day).
The trace elements Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Fe are essential micronutrients that need to be consumed in adequate
amounts to maintain normal physiological function (Nol
et al. 2012). The differences observed for some micronutrient levels in Portuguese and Serbian fermented sausages
could be attributed to variations in animal tissues as a consequence of the occurrence of natural minerals in the soil,
affecting the diet of animals and meat composition (Nunes
et al. 2013).

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation (2015) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

S.P. ALVES ET AL.

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of Cr for an

adult with 60 kg is 0.13 mg/day (WHO 1993). The intake of
Cr through the average consumption of Serbian and Portuguese sausages could be from 1 to 4% of the RDA, respectively. For Mn, the RDA is 25 mg/day. Thus, considering
the same average consumption of both sausages, the daily
intake of Mn would be from 0.5 to 1.2% and from 1.9 to
4.8% of the RDA for Portuguese and Serbian inhabitants,
respectively. The RDA of Fe for men/women (5170 years)
is 8 mg/day. The calculated daily intakes of Fe through
the average consumption of sausages are 27 and 88%
of the RDA for Serbian and Portuguese male/female,
respectively.
The Institute of Medicine (2003) recommends the values
of 1 and 10 mg/day as the upper tolerable intake level of Cu
for adults. However, the intake of Cu through the average
consumption of sausages would be 0.7 and 1% of the upper
tolerable level for Portuguese and Serbian adults, respectively. The upper tolerable intake levels of Ni for adults
(1970 years old) are 7 and 40 mg/day. A daily consumption
of an average portion of 50 g of sausages would contribute
less than 0.1% of the upper tolerable intake level of Ni.
Cobalt, an essential nutrient and integral part of vitamin
B12, has an important role in blood pressure regulation and
for proper thyroid function. Co content was found to be
below LOD for all investigated samples.

CONCLUSIONS
A great diversity in sausages proximal composition was
observed since each producer has its own formulation, type
of manufacture and use of pork breed, with no differentiation regarding products origin or diameter. The PCA
revealed that FA composition clearly distinguishes the
origin of dry fermented sausages. A daily consumption of
an average portion of 50 g of Portuguese or Serbian sausages would provide 18.720.2 g of total fat, 6.47.2 g of
saturated fat, 2426 mg of cholesterol, as well as 0.13
0.51 mg of -tocopherol. Regarding minerals (Mn, Cu and
Fe), diverse contents were present in Portuguese and
Serbian sausages due to variations in animal tissues as a
consequence of the occurrence of natural minerals in the
soil and products formulation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The results are part of Project No. 172050 supported by the
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Development of the Republic of Serbia and of Project Agreement
FCT-6818 from the Scientific Bilateral Agreements between
Portugal and Republic of Serbia (20112012). Project
PRODER-PA No. 13017 from Ministrio da Agricultura, do
Mar, do Ambiente e do Ordenamento do Territrio IFAP

DRY FERMENTED SAUSAGES NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION

and the individual grant to S.P.A. (SFRH/BPD/76836/2011)

from the Fundao para a Cincia e a Tecnologia (FCT) are
gratefully acknowledged.
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