Analysis of sausages content By: Aleksandra Maria Piotrowska Comenius

Sausage is a mixture of different meat types, water and preservatives. The quality of sausages depends on the price - the more it costs, the more meat it contains. What else do the sausages contain? In response to this question I will examine the sausages of various producers.

Sausages Parówki z szynki Parówki z szyny Duetki Premium BobaskiKraina Obfitości energy value per 100g 217 kcal283 kcal202 kcal224 kcal363 kcal price/weight 2,50 zł /100 g 2,80 zł /100g 2,20 zł /100g 1,20 zł /100g 1zł /100g Meat pork 93% pork 90% chicken 73% chicken, pork 53% pork 7% MSM - mechanically separated meat 35% Protein hydrolysate + Starch Acidity regulator Preservatives Salt, spices and extracts Anti - oxidants Stabilizers Emulsifiers ++ The content of sausages

Mysterious ingredients of sausages Meat - we all know what it is, but it may not be present in sausages… Besides pure pork, veal and poultry, sausages are filled with pork and poultry skin, fat and mechanically separated meat.

The last one means MSM - obtained from animals carcasses using one of two methods: chemical (e.g. through the effect of enzymes) and mechanical (by stamping or scraping). Such meat is of poor quality, contains more fat, which requires using antioxidants to protect against decay. Furthermore, there could be bones leftovers in meat mass.

Protein hydrolysates The protein of this type is highly absorbed by the body and it has no side effects.

Starch is supplied to the body in the daily diet. It provides us with energy. Starch is digested in two steps: firstly, the maltodextrin is cleaved (the starch sugar), secondly, the monosaccharide becomes glucose.

Emulsifiers are marked with the letter E with three or four digits. They make the food taste, look and smell better and be more durable. E451, their acceptable daily intake is 70 mg/kg body weight. There aren’t side effects. Antioxidants - are used to preserve sausages. The amount used in the food industry is completely safe.

Salt, spices and extracts - only salt should be limited, to g per day. Acidity regulators - have to regulate the acidity of sausages and maintain moisture. It is not a substance dangerous for health.

Preservatives are substances used to inhibit or prevent the adverse biological and biochemical changes. They change the quality of certain ingredients, half-finished and ready products. Also, they preserve the product during storage. They are coded from E200 to E299. If these substances are accumulated in our body, they may contribute to the development of various diseases, e.g. cancers.

Stabilizers bind substances which do not mix together in nature, such as water and fat.

Thank You for Your attention!