Effect of Different Types of Propolis on the Quality Characteristics of Fermented Sucuk

Fermented sucuk is a fermented food product widely consumed and enjoyed by people in Türkiye. Spices and other additives are used in the production of fermented sucuk. Due to the increasing demand for natural and healthy food consumption, the need for natural additives is also growing. Propolis is naturally obtained from honeybee hives and consists of bioactive compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Studies have been conducted on the addition of propolis to various meat and meat products, as well as other food products. However, no studies have been found on the addition of propolis to fermented sucuk. The aim was to investigate the effect of different types of propolis (red, green, brown) on the quality characteristics of fermented sucuks. Microbiological, physicochemical, textural and sensory analyses were performed on the sucuk samples produced. It was observed that propolis did not have an adverse effect on the analysis results of propolis-added sucuks. In particular, it was determined that the growth of pathogenic bacteria was inhibited in propolis-added sucuk, resulting in low TBARS values, and other analyses yielded results in line with these standards. Based on these findings, the addition of propolis has been shown to have a positive effect on the quality of fermented sucuk.