Quality Assessment of Sremska, Nitrite-Free Dry Fermented Sausage Pasteurized with Mild Heat Treatment

The quality of the Serbian dry fermented sausage, Sremska, was evaluated without added nitrite and pasteurized post-ripening. As an extra safety measure to eliminate Salmonella, mild heat treatments (47 °C/6.5 h or 53 °C/22.1 min) were used. The effect of starter culture on product quality was also examined. Sausages were tested at the start of production and after 30 days of storage, measuring physicochemical properties, microbiota populations, biogenic amines, lipid oxidation, and sensory qualities. The absence of nitrite did not cause significant changes in microbiota. Pasteurization lowered total viable counts and lactic acid bacteria by up to 3.5 log CFU/g, especially in sausages with starter culture. Enterobacteriaceae were fully eliminated only in pasteurized products. Pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus were not detected. Moderate biogenic amine levels were found in all samples (189.4-312.2 mg/kg), with higher amounts in sausages without nitrite. Neither starter culture nor pasteurization significantly affected biogenic amine levels, although pasteurization helped limit their buildup during storage. Lipid oxidation remained low (0.14-0.25 mg/kg), with slightly higher levels in sausages with starter culture; no changes due to pasteurization or nitrite absence were observed. Sensory evaluation showed all sausages received high scores. Texture, juiciness, aroma, and flavor of sausages made with starter culture were unaffected by nitrite absence or pasteurization. Sausages without starter culture scored slightly lower without nitrite compared to those with it. Pasteurization improved texture, juiciness, aroma plus flavor, and overall acceptability of all sausages without starter culture. Overall, the study concluded that nitrite-free Sremska sausages, when pasteurized with a mild heat process, maintained good quality and enhanced safety.