RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Nitrite is a key ingredient the manufacture of meat products, forming a stable pink color characteristic of cured products, retarding the development of rancidity and off-odors and flavors during storage, and preventing microbial growth. The negative aspects of nitrite and the demands for healthy foods result in the need to reduce nitrite in cured meat products. Paprika or tomato has been employed as natural pigments in meat products. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of incorporating paprika powder or tomato paste on the texture, rancidity and instrumental and sensory color compensation in nitrite-reduced meat batters. RESULTS: Addition of tomato paste improved moisture content, resulting in harder but less cohesive samples as compared to control and paprika-containing meat batters. Color characteristics of reduced nitrite samples obtained higher a* red coloration (8.9 for paprika and 7.7-8.0 for tomato paste), as compared to control samples (5.65). Instrumental color was low in control samples, with high values for tomato paste and paprika samples. Nonetheless, tomato paste used to compensate color in nitrite-reduced meat batters was ranked closer to the control sample in sensory evaluation. CONCLUSION: Color characteristics-instrumental and sensory-in these kinds of meat products were enhanced by the addition of 2.5-3.0% of tomato paste, presenting results close to the non-reduced nitrite control. Similarly, antioxidant components of tomato paste or paprika reduced lipid oxidation. Nitrite reduction from 150 to 100 ppm could be achieved employing tomato paste as a natural pigment to improve color and texture.