368 Chapter 21
- low - acid sausages are ripened - dried at
lower temperatures, but temperature and
tenure may be different: 12 – 13 ° C for the
fi rst 2 weeks and gradually increasing later
(Hungarian salami); 10 ° C for 50 days in
the case of an Italian - type sausage (Spaziani
et al. 2009 ); or continuous 14 ° – 16 ° C, etc.
Similarly, relative humidity values also
differ from technology to technology, where
not only starter versus traditional technology
can be distinguished, but actual values are
different in terms of air velocity and diame-
ter, as well.
These parameters — temperature, relative
humidity, air velocity, and air distribution —
change, depending on chemical composition
(fat and moisture content, type of meat), pH
(traditional or lactic starter product), and
diameter of the sausage, but total expected
weight loss also has some infl uence (Figs.
21.1 and 21.2 ).
Keeping this in mind, it is easy to accept
that there are great differences in the total
lengths of mold - ripened dry sausage pro-
duction time. While about 3 weeks are suf-
fi cient for ripening and drying of a ca 36 - mm
sausage, 12 to 15 weeks are necessary with
a 70 - mm sausage and even more for a tradi-
tional mold - ripened sausage (salami) of
larger caliber (see Fig. 21.2 ). As pointed
out earlier, sausages with lactic starter show
a lower pH - range; consequently, they can
be dried faster without case hardening
problems.
It is important to mention that pH - drop as
a consequence of the breakdown of added
carbohydrate from lactic starters to basically
lactic acid has several other advantageous
technological, sensoric, economic, and safety
effects. Due to the coagulating effect of lactic
acid, the protein solution around meat and fat
particles changes to a fi rm structure, which
stabilizes the matrix and makes the sausage
sliceable at a much higher moisture content
than with traditional dry sausages, where
coagulation of this protein matrix comesmold cover on sausages that are not smoked;
light smoking as an alternative can be a com-
promise. In those cases where native house
mycofl ora grows on the surface of sausages,
they have been adapted to intensive smoking,
too (e.g., Hungarian salami).
Prerequisites of effi cient smoking are
a dry sausage surface, suffi ciently intense
smoke concentration, and lower relative
humidity ( < 80%). Smoking lasts from
several hours to several days to even several
weeks. For more details on smoking, see
Chapter 12.
Ripening and Drying
Ripening is a rather complicated process,
controlled to some extent by technicians and
completed mostly by tissue enzymes and the
metabolic activity of inoculated and/or indig-
enous microorganisms (Incze 2004b ). Drying
is a not less complicated process because the
behavior of proteinaceus material determines
the possible rate of moisture evaporation,
which is entirely different from that of wood,
for instance. Uniform air distribution is a pre-
condition for uniform and consistent sausage
quality.
During smoking, ripening, and drying, air
parameters in the drying rooms have to be
controlled precisely, in order for weight loss
to take place as required, thus ensuring
optimal drying and mold growth, and avoid-
ing case hardening with all its sensoric,
hygienic, and spoilage problems.
Temperature requirements differ, depend-
ing not only on whether the technology
involves starter cultures but also on the spe-
ciality of the technology typical to a region
or country. Accordingly:
- starter culture may require high ( > 30 ° C)
or low (20 ° – 24 ° C) temperature during
incubation, - temperature reduction after necessary
pH - drop may take place stepwise or
drastically,