The combined effect of Bacillus coagulans, potassium chloride, and yeast extract on the hysicochemical and sensory characteristics of functional vegetable sausage

This study investigated the impact of bacillus coagulans, potassium chloride, and yeast extract on probiotic vegetable sausages’ microbial, physicochemical, and sensory properties with reduced salt content during refrigerated storage. the sausages supplemented with potassium chloride solution and 1% or 2% yeast extract showed an initial viable count of b. coagulans at 8.34 log cfu/g, which decreased to 7.2 and 7.42 log cfu/g after four weeks of storage. the addition of potassium chloride and yeast extract improved the viability of b. coagulans by approximately 0.2 log cfu/g compared to sausages without the mixture. moreover, including these ingredients led to a gradual decrease in ph over the storage period. sensory evaluation indicated that adding potassium chloride and yeast extract enhanced taste scores and overall acceptance but negatively impacted color characteristics. these findings demonstrate that substituting salt with potassium chloride and incorporating yeast extract enhances the survival of probiotic b. coagulans, lowers ph during refrigerated storage, and improves sensory attributes in vegetable sausages. the study suggests combining potassium chloride, yeast extract, and probiotic bacteria in plant-based meat products like sausages offers a scientific and practical approach to promoting healthier consumption patterns. however, it emphasizes the importance of carefully determining the appropriate concentration of these ingredients based on the sensory evaluation results.