Sausage is a popular processed meat product and its consumption has significantly
increased over the past 20 years. Sodium nitrite is used to impart a distinct
red color and cured flavor to sausage during its production. Moreover, sodium
nitrite inhibits lipid oxidation and growth of pathogenic microorganisms in
sausage. Despite these advantages, it is advisable to replace and reduce sodium
nitrite use since sausages with sodium nitrite are classified as a Group 1
carcinogen. The replacement additives should not only impart red color but also
control microbial growth because sausage color is an important factor in its
marketing and the control of initial microbial concentration during sausage
production process is critical for its safety, distribution, and storage.
However, only few sodium nitrite alternatives can impart color while inhibiting
microorganism growth. To address this issue, use of natural red pigments with
antimicrobial activity is being considered. Interest in natural functional
pigments, in particular, microbial pigments with physiological activities, has
spiked due to their various advantages, such as sustainable supply in large
amounts, high yield, and easy down-streaming processing, over those extracted
from plants or insects. This review highlights the characteristics of
microbe-derived antimicrobial red pigments and their potential application as
alternatives to sodium nitrite in sausage processing.