Based on the specific spoilage organisms to improve the storage stability of bulk sausage

Bulk sausages packaged by natural animal or artificial collagen casings are highly susceptible to microbial contamination. In this study, quality changes of sausages packaged by animal casings were monitored and bacterial community dynamics on casing surfaces were analyzed by combining conventional bacterial culture methods and 16S rDNA sequencing during 30-day storage at 4 °C. Followed by evaluating the spoilage ability of the identified dominant bacterial community, three specific spoilage organisms (SSOs) were identified: Brochothrix thermosphacta, Pseudomonas lundensis, and Weissella viridescens. For the three SSOs, three natural antibacterial agents, nisin, phenyllactic acid (PLA), and kojic acid (KA), were selected alone or in combination to improve the storage stability of sausage. In situ experiments demonstrated that a combination of nisin (15 mg/mL) and PLA (2 mg/mL) most effectively suppressed the bacterial growth on sausages. These results are expected to provide a theoretical reference for extending the shelf life of bulk sausage.