Inhibition of Red Discoloration in Cooked, Vacuum Packaged Bratwurst

A red discoloration sometimes occurs in vacuum‐packaged bratwurst during storage. We attempted to characterize the red pigment and determine the effect of pH, cooking temperature, and sodium lactate on its incidence. Myoglobin was the red pigment in discolored samples. Myoglobin levels were lower in samples at pH (5.5) or cooked to 74°C. Discoloration was associated with microbial growth. Frozen samples had no red discoloration after 4 wks. Discoloration was not observed in bratwurst containing 2% sodium lactate and cooked to 74°C. In preventing red discoloration cooking to 74°C without lactate was as effective as cooking to 68°C with lactate.