Effect of starter cultures on microbial and physicochemical parameters of a dry fermented poultry meat sausage

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the effect of Staphylococcus xylosus and Lactobacillus plantarum on microbial and physicochemical characteristics of a dry fermented poultry meat sausage. The microbial results show that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) represent the two predominant microflora in all stages of ripening. The number of enterobacteria decreased significantly in sausages previously inoculated respectively with L. plantarum and with a mixed starter cultures, due to the acidifying and antibacterial activities of lactic acid bacteria. The moisture content of control and inoculated sausages decreased in all stages of ripening which allows a good preservation and consequently, improved their shelf life. Moreover, total free amino acids content increased during ripening of dry fermented sausages. Their concentrations were higher in sausages previously inoculated with starter cultures than in control ones. The main amino acids present in all stages of ripening were aspartic and glutamic acids, arginine, glycine, threonine, alanine, tyrosine, phenylalaline, leucine and isoleucine.

Keywords: Staphylococcus xylosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, ripening, dry fermented sausage

African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(43) 4155-4164