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Mould starter cultures for dry sausages-selection, application and effects
1FOSS-Electric A/S, Slangerupgade 69, DK-3400 Hillerød, Denmark.
Meat Science
|November 9, 2011
Summary
Moulds on sausages offer benefits like flavor but pose risks from toxins. Industrialized starter cultures, carefully selected for safety and desired traits, are crucial for controlling mould and ensuring consumer safety in modern sausage production.
Area of Science:
- Food Microbiology
- Food Chemistry
- Fermentation Science
Background:
- Moulds on sausage surfaces can impart desirable qualities or produce harmful toxins and secondary metabolites.
- Traditional sausage production relied on indigenous microflora, but industrialization necessitates controlled mould starter cultures for safety and consistency.
- Understanding mould's enzymatic activity (proteolytic, lipolytic) and its impact on sausage aroma and texture is critical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the dual role of moulds in sausage production, balancing desirable sensory attributes with safety concerns.
- To highlight the importance of industrialized mould starter cultures in modern sausage manufacturing.
- To investigate the influence of mould on secondary metabolite production and its implications for flavour development.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on mould-sausage interactions, including enzymatic activities and secondary metabolite formation.
- Analysis of traditional versus industrialized approaches to mould inoculation in sausage production.
- Examination of analytical and biochemical investigations used in selecting industrial mould starter cultures.
Main Results:
- Mould proteolytic and lipolytic capabilities vary significantly based on strain, media, pH, and temperature.
- Moulds contribute to sausage flavour, with mechanisms like β-oxidation producing aroma compounds such as methyl ketones, similar to blue cheese.
- Industrialized starter cultures offer greater control over mould populations, minimizing risks of toxigenic or pathogenic growth.
Conclusions:
- Carefully selected mould starter cultures are essential for optimizing sausage aroma, texture, ripening, and shelf-life while ensuring consumer safety.
- Further research is needed to fully understand and control mould's influence on secondary metabolite production in sausages.
- Starter strains must be rigorously tested to confirm they are non-pathogenic, non-toxigenic, and do not produce antibiotics.
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