Meat starters have individual requirements for Mn(2+).

Area of Science:

• Food Microbiology
• Fermentation Science
• Meat Science

Background:

• Lactobacilli are crucial starter cultures in dry fermented sausage production.
• Manganese (Mn2+) is an essential cofactor for many enzymes, potentially influencing microbial metabolism.
• Optimizing fermentation is key to ensuring sausage quality, safety, and production efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of varying manganese (Mn2+) concentrations on the fermentation process of dry sausages.
• To determine how Mn2+ influences the growth and metabolic activity of different lactobacilli starter cultures.
• To assess the impact of Mn2+ on the microbial, textural, and sensory attributes of the final sausage product.

Main Methods:

• Screening of six lactobacilli strains in a sausage model with Mn2+ addition.
• Pilot-scale sausage production trials with two selected lactobacilli strains under varying Mn2+ conditions.
• Analysis of microbial counts, fermentation rates, textural properties, and sensory evaluation of sausages.

Main Results:

• Manganese (Mn2+) addition consistently increased the fermentation rate across all tested lactobacilli starters.
• Significant differences in microbial, textural, and sensory parameters were observed between sausages with and without Mn2+.
• The influence of Mn2+ on sausage properties varied between starter strains; one strain's product characteristics normalized, while the other remained distinct.

Conclusions:

• Starter culture-specific manganese (Mn2+) requirements significantly impact dry fermented sausage production.
• Understanding these requirements allows for tailored optimization of fermentation parameters.
• Mn2+ can be utilized to enhance fermentation speed, improve product consistency, and ensure microbial safety.