Dry sausage fermented by Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains

Area of Science:

• Food Microbiology
• Probiotics
• Fermentation Technology

Background:

• Lactic acid bacteria are crucial for dry sausage fermentation.
• Probiotic strains offer potential benefits beyond traditional starter cultures.
• Evaluating specific probiotic strains for their efficacy in meat fermentation is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the suitability of three Lactobacillus rhamnosus probiotic strains (GG, E-97800, LC-705) and a Pediococcus pentosaceus control for dry sausage production.
• To analyze the fermentation dynamics, microbial population changes, and biogenic amine levels.
• To evaluate the sensory attributes of the resulting dry sausages.

Main Methods:

• Inoculation of dry sausage batter with selected probiotic and starter strains.
• Monitoring of pH and microbial counts (log10 cfu/g) during fermentation.
• Ribotyping for strain identification and confirmation of dominance.
• Analysis of biogenic amine concentrations.
• Sensory evaluation of fermented dry sausages.

Main Results:

• Inoculated lactic acid bacteria counts increased from approximately 7 log10 to 8-9 log10 cfu/g.
• pH decreased significantly from 5.6 to 4.9-5.0 during fermentation.
• L. rhamnosus LC-705 produced sausages inferior in sensory quality compared to the control.
• L. rhamnosus strains GG and E-97800 were confirmed as predominant organisms via ribotyping.
• Biogenic amine concentrations remained low throughout the ripening process.

Conclusions:

• Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains GG and E-97800 are suitable for use as probiotic starter cultures in dry sausage fermentation.
• L. rhamnosus LC-705 is not recommended for this application due to sensory deficits.
• Probiotic starter cultures can be effectively utilized in dry sausage production with controlled fermentation and low biogenic amine formation.