382 Chapter 22
(Chi and Wu 2007 ). Spices have also
proved to act as effective antioxidants, to
stimulate LAB activity by supplying Mn, and
to inhibit undesirable organisms (Arora and
Kaur 1999 ; Aguirrez á bal et al. 2000 ; Hagen
et al. 2000 ; Chi and Wu 2007 ). In industrially
produced fermented sausages, a variable
number of other additives are also included,
among which natural (cochineal and paprika
extracts) and artifi cial colorants are added to
improve cured red pigment stability (Roncal é s
2007 ). Variable amounts (0.5% – 3%) of
exogenous proteins are often used to assure
protein gellation and phosphates to act as
thickeners, humectants, and gelling agents.
To achieve consumer demands for extremely
savory products, fl avor enhancers (glutamic
and guanylic acids), and fl avoring agents
(protein hydrolysates, herbs, and smoke
extracts) are also added (Roncal é s 2007 ). For
a rapid pH drop, chemical acidulants such
as lactic or citric acid or glucono - delta lactone
may be used, although different fl avors in
the fi nal products may be obtained (Rust
2007 ).Starter Cultures
The need for process standardization as well
as quality assurance strategies has led to the
use of starter cultures, thus overcoming the
need to rely on the “ in - house ” fl ora or “ back -
sloping ” for the fermentation process. The
breakthrough in the use of starter cultures in
the United States was achieved as a result of
the work of Deibel and Niven (1957) , while
in Europe, micrococci were introduced as
starters by Niinivaara (1955) to prevent
color and fl avor defects. After these fi rst
experiences, Nurmi (1966) developed a
mixed culture composed of lactobacilli and
micrococci. Studies on the ecology of fer-
mented sausages showed that LAB, mainly
Lactobacillus and coagulase - negative cocci
(CNC) represented by Micrococcaceae , are
the two main bacterial groups technologi-
cally important in the fermentation andproduct and country regulations (Honikel
2008 ). Potassium nitrate (saltpeter) was the
original curing agent and was added to
meat unintentionally as a salt contaminant.
Nitrate is very stable and must be converted
to nitrite by nitrate - reducing bacteria
( Micrococcaceae ). Nitrites added to the meat
or converted from nitrates undergo chemical
reductions to NO at pH 5.4 to 5.5; this binding
to meat myoglobin to form the heat stable
NO - myoglobin is responsible for the typical
cured red color of fermented sausages
(Honikel 2008 ). The use of ascorbates has
become a common practice, the main objec-
tive being the improvement of the stability of
the red nitrosylated pigment and the preven-
tion of lipid oxidation (Balev et al. 2005 ).
Sugars are also commonly added to fer-
mented sausages, among which the most
often used are dextrose, glucose, sucrose, and
lactose, as well as corn syrup and different
starches (Rust 2007 ). The main role of sugars
in fermented meat products is to act as sub-
strates for LAB to produce lactic acid, the
type of sugar infl uencing the rate of pH
decline. Dextrose and glucose promote
a more rapid acidifi cation rate compared
with the disaccharides lactose and sucrose
(Demeyer 2004 ). Short - processed fermented
products are usually supplemented with 0.5%
to 0.7% glucose or sucrose or 1% lactose,
while for long - ripening dry sausages,
common levels are around 0.3% glucose
or sucrose or 0.5% lactose (Ruiz 2007 ).
However, some semidry products like
Lebanon bologna, which is fermented to a
very low pH, may actually require higher
(2% – 4%) sugar levels (Rust 2007 ). Spices
are mostly what differentiate fermented sau-
sages. Ground pepper (0.2% – 0.3%) is usually
present in all types of sausages, particularly
in Mediterranean fermented sausages; they
also may contain high levels (1% – 3%) of
paprika and/or garlic. Whole mustard seed,
coriander, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and
cloves, among other spices, are also used
in semidry fermented sausage formulation