Comparative Evaluation of Thermosonication and Conventional Cooking in Chicken Sausage

Abstract

The popularity of chicken sausages in India is steadily increasing due to their convenience, versatility and nutritional benefits. Conventional thermal processing, although effective for ensuring microbial safety, can accelerate nutrient degradation and compromise product quality thermosonication, a hybrid technique that combined mile heat with ultrasonic cavitation that emerged as a promising alternative to address consumer demand for minimally processed foods. In this study, chicken sausages were subjected to temperatures from 62⁰C - 70⁰C at 2⁰C intervals for durations of 25, 30, 35 and 40 minutes at 5 minutes interval. The process parameters were evaluated for manual cutting test, visual appearance and sensory analysis. Results indicated that thermosonication treatment produced sausages with improved texture, greater firmness, enhanced cohesiveness and more uniform visual appearance, while retaining moisture and structural integrity compared to conventional cooking. These findings highlight thermosonication as a promising and sustainable processing technology that is capable of enhancing the quality characteristics of meat products.