This study provides the data on dietary exposure of Serbian children to nitrites and phosphorus from meat products by combining individual consumption data with available analytical data of meat products. A total of 2603 and 1900 commercially available meat products were categorized into seven groups and analysed for nitrite and phosphorous content. The highest mean levels of nitrite content, expressed as NaNO₂, were found in finely minced cooked sausages (40.25 ± 20.37 mg/kg), followed by canned meat (34.95 ± 22.12 mg/kg) and coarsely minced cooked sausages (32.85 ± 23.25 mg/kg). The EDI (estimated daily intake) of nitrites from meat products, calculated from a National Food Consumption Survey in 576 children aged 1–9 years, indicated that the Serbian children population exceeded the nitrite ADI (acceptable daily intake) proposed by EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) in 6.4% of children, with a higher proportion in 1–3-year-old participants. The mean phosphorus concentration varied from 2.71 ± 1.05 g/kg to 6.12 ± 1.33 g/kg in liver sausage and pate and smoked meat products, respectively. The EDI of phosphorus from meat products was far below the ADI proposed by EFSA, indicating that the use of phosphorus additives in Serbian meat products is generally in line with legislation.

Salt intake above 5 g/day correlates with prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). CVD, the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Europe, account for 45% of all deaths, while, in Serbia in 2021, CVD accounted for 47.3%. The objective was to investigate salt content labelled on meat products from the Serbian market and estimate dietary exposure to salt from meat products in the Serbian population using consumption data. Data on salt content were collected from 339 meat products and classified in eight groups. Consumption data were collected using the EFSA EU Menu methodology (2017–2021) from 576 children and 3018 adults (145 pregnant women) in four geographical regions of Serbia. The highest salt content was in dry fermented sausages and dry meat, average 3.78 ± 0.37 g/100 g and 4.40 ± 1.21 g/100 g, respectively. The average intake of meat products is 45.21 ± 39.0 g/day and estimated daily salt intake from meat products per person is 1.192 g, which is 24% of the daily recommended amount. The actual meat product consumption and content of salt in meat products in Serbia present a risk factor for development of CVD and related comorbidities. A targeted strategy, policy and legislation for salt reduction are needed.

Užička sausage is a traditionally fermented dry sausage that is produced in western Serbia. It is made of beef and pork with the addition of solid fat and natural spices. The whole manufacturing process lasted for 21 days. The goal of this study was to create a collection of lactic acid bacteria isolated during the ripening and identify them using molecular methods. A total of 50 isolates from different stages of ripening (fermentation and drying) were identified by molecular methods. Leuconococcus mesenteroides, Lactobacillus brevis, and Lactobacillus sakei were the predominant microorganisms in Užička sausage.

This study explores the influence of algal incorporation on the sensory and physicochemical attributes of caseless sausage—ćevap (CSC). Various algae, including Chlorella vulgaris, Himanthalia elongata (sea spaghetti), and Undaria pinnatifida (wakame), were added at different concentrations to standard CSC formulations. Proximate analysis revealed that the addition of algae did not significantly change crude protein and fat content (p > 0.05). Furthermore, sea spaghetti and wakame resulted in lower moisture levels and decreased cooking loss, while all algae varieties raised the salt content (p < 0.05) due to their inherent sodium levels. Texture analysis demonstrated that the inclusion of sea spaghetti and Chlorella led to reductions in hardness and chewiness, while wakame resulted in a firmer texture, highlighting its substantial impact on textural attributes. Color measurements indicated that wakame significantly affected the color profile (p < 0.05), resulting in decreased lightness and increased darkness in the sausage, surpassing the effects of other algae. Sensory evaluations showed that formulations containing wakame received the lowest scores for color, smell, taste and overall acceptability—up to 1.5 points lower compared to the control samples. On the other hand, some formulations with other algae showed promising small deviations from the control. Overall, this research supports the viability of using algae as functional ingredients in meat products, emphasizing the importance of selecting the appropriate type and concentration of algae to optimize both physicochemical parameters and sensory qualities in caseless sausages.

Sremska sausage is a traditionally fermented dry sausage, which is produced in northern Serbia (Vojvodina). It is made from pork with the addition of back fat and natural spices. The entire manufacturing process lasts for 21 days. The goal of this study was to create a collection of lactic acid bacteria isolated during sausage fermentation and identify them using molecular methods. A total of 50 isolates from different stages of fermentation were identified by molecular methods. Ln. mesenteroides, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lb. sakei are the predominant microorganisms in the sremska sausage studied.

DoiFil - Repository of Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) Issued by Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade