Introduction

In processed meats, key sensory characteristics expected by the consumers are achieved with the share of meat in the recipe and the processing method (curing, smoking). The use of additives is basically aimed at emphasising or enhancing the natural colour, flavour, and aroma or those achieved after processing. Aromatic additives (spices) are another specific and independent flavour and odour addition; they are used to give specific, non-meaty sensory characteristics to improve palatability of meat products.

All processing treatments are aimed at improving taste of the product. It is, however, the selection of raw material of appropriate quality and use of additives enhancing and differentiating palatability that is of the greatest importance in shaping palatability. These additives usually include herbs, meat flavour potentiatiors, protein hydrolysates, artificial meat-flavoured aromas, and derived smoke preparations. Diversified distinguishing marks of the flavour and odour profile of meat products results from incidental impact of chemicals which:

• are products of in vivo metabolism of slaughter animals,
• are formed as a result of autolytic and microbiological transformation of raw materials or of the product processing and storage,
• were added to the product with processing aids,
• are products of reactions between additives and raw material ingredients,
• are formed as a result of activity of raw meat's native enzymes.

The process of forming of palatability precursors in the meat ageing process is a very important issue in meat products flavouring. During this process, biochemical processes take place in the tissues, resulting in formation of many different substances with flavour properties. When in vivo metabolism is interrupted, the processes taking place in the cells become inversed in a way. Decomposition processes, mainly enzymatic decomposition, become dominant. This process applies to all macromolecular compounds: proteins, carbohydrates, fat, and nucleinic acids. Herbs used to flavour meat products can be considered traditional additives. Herbs in food have been used for centuries. Initially, herbs were probably used to mask the taste and odour of improperly stored products and to preserve them. Nowadays, their key role is to make the products attractive and ensure product range diversification.

Apart from spices, additives are used in processed meat production to emphasise, enhance, and bring out the natural meaty taste referred to as “úmami”.   Moreover, they alleviate the feeling of saltiness or sourness, hide the bitter or metallic taste, and mask the aftertaste of yeast hydrolysates. Typical additives from this group include: E 621 sodium glutamate, E626 guanylic acid, E627 disodium guanylate, E631 sodium inosinate, E635 sodium ribonucleotides.