| Summary: | The aim of this study was to compare the effects of various forms of sage (<i>Salvia officinalis</i> L.) preparations on the quality characteristics of vacuum-packed chicken meatballs containing mechanically separated meat (MSM) from chickens during storage (+4 °C, 14 days). The meatballs tested in this study were prepared as follows: (1) without the addition of sage (control), (2) with 1.0% of dried sage (SD), (3) with 2.0% of 40% (<i>v</i>/<i>v</i>) sage ethanol extract (SEE40), (4) with 2.0% of 70% (<i>v</i>/<i>v</i>) sage ethanol extract (SEE70), and (5) with 0.1% of sage essential oil (SEO). The meatballs were assessed at weekly intervals for lipid oxidation, microbial quality, color parameters, selected organoleptic attributes, and other quality features. During storage, the lipid oxidation processes in the meatballs were slowed down by all the tested sage preparations, but the most effective slowdown was caused by sage ethanol extracts. On day 14, the values of thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances determined in the SEE40 and SEE70 products (0.210 mg malondialdehyde [MDA]/kg and 0.233 mg MDA/kg, respectively) were significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) lower than that in the control (0.659 mg MDA/kg). Considering all the investigated microbial groups, the best antimicrobial activity was observed in the SEE70 and SEO products. On day 14, there were no significant (<i>p</i> > 0.05) changes in the aroma of the tested chicken meatballs, and only the SEO product showed significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) poorer appearance and color than the control. In conclusion, among the various sage preparations used in vacuum-packed chicken meatballs with MSM, SEE70 may be recommended to manufacturers.
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