Influence of LED-illumination on discolouration and oxygen uptake on cured boiled sausage

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different spectral bands of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on colour stability and oxygen uptake of illuminated, packaged cured boiled sausage. Sausage samples packed in a model packaging system were illuminated by red, green and blue one-colour LEDs as well as by white LED light, which was a mixture of red, green and blue LEDs. The irradiation of all LEDs was equal. The residual headspace oxygen in the packaging was varied between 0, 0.5 and 2% O2. Differences in greying and oxygen uptake of the sausage were seen between varying residual oxygen content in the package and different illumination colour. The blue LED with shorter wavelength and therefore higher energetic radiation caused higher discolouration and oxidation of the sausage.