Hygrolab c1

Moisture content was measured using a drying method at 105 °C [23 ]. Water activity (a_w) in the samples was measured with a HygroLab C1 hygrometer (Rotronic, Bassersdorf, Switzerland), using disposable cups. Measurements were carried out at a temperature of 23 °C. The pH was measured in the mixture obtained by the addition of 50 mL of distilled water to 50 g of sample and homogenizing the mixture at 4000 rpm for 20 s [24 ,25 (link)]. Measurements were made with a pH meter (AD 12, Adwa, Romania). The samples were analyzed for titratable acidity according to AOAC [24 ]. Titratable acidity was expressed as lactic acid percentage.

The pH was determined by homogenizing 5 g of minced fermented sausages in 50 mL of distilled water and using a pH meter (MP230, Mettler Toledo, Switzerland). The weight loss was calculated as a percentage of the reduced weight to the weight of fermented sausages on day 0. The moisture content was measured according to the high-temperature drying method by oven at 105 °C. The water activity (a_w) was determined using a HygroLab-C1 (Rotronic, NY, NY, USA). The chloride content of the fermented sausages was confirmed by the Volhard method as shown in ISO 1841-1:1996 [24 ]. The 10 g minced sample with 100 mL hot water was boiled for 15 min. The Carrez reagent was added to precipitate proteins for 30 min. The 20 mL filtrate was added to 5 mL dilute nitric acid, 1 mL ammonium iron(Ⅲ) sulfate solution as indicator and 20 mL silver nitrate solution. Excess silver nitrate was titrated with standard potassium thiocyanate solution. The sodium content was measured by ion-selective electrode method according to AOAC Official Method 976.25:1995 [25 ]. Briefly, the mV potential of a 10 g minced sample with 100 mL buffer was determined by ion meter (PXSJ-227L, INESA, Shanghai, China). The nitrite content was determined by photometric measurement according to ISO 2918:1975 [26 ].

The moisture content (MC) in the powders was determined by the oven method. About 0.5 g of samples was weighed on an analytical balance (accuracy of 0.0001 g) and then dried at the temperature of 105 °C during 4 h. The water activity (a_w) of the powders was determined using the HygroLab C1 (Rotronic) device. The measurements were made at the temperature of 25 °C in duplicate^{23 (link)}.