Handbook of Meat Processing

384 Chapter 22

semidry fermented sausage are shown in the

fl ow chart (Fig. 22.1 ).

Meat Selection, Grinding, or Chopping

Meat from healthy animals, mostly pork and

beef, is used in fermented sausage produc-

tion. Animal species, anatomical region of

the animal, composition, and microbiologi -

cal quality have a great infl uence on the

functional characteristics of meat. Bones

should be removed, connective tissue mem-

branes trimmed off, and soft intermuscular

fatty tissue detached. Meat and fat are chilled

(grinding technology) or frozen (bowl

chopper technology) and comminuted to the

desired particle size. The cutter (a rapid rotat-

ing set of knives in a slowly rotating bowl)

has become the established means of chop-

ping. Warming of the meat batter is pre-

vented by using chilled meat and frozen fat,

and chopping is usually carried out under

vacuum to avoid oxygen interference with

drying and color development. The relative

rotation speeds of the bowl and knives deter-

mine the particle size of meat and fat, and are

optimized to minimize fat tissue damage and

batter temperature increase. Both lean and fat

biosynthetic capacities, harboring more
amino acid converting enzymes that play a
key role in the fl avor characteristics of tradi-
tional products (Leroy and De Vuyst 2004 ).
A recent trend exists in the isolation of wild -
type strains to be used as autochthonous
starter cultures toward safety improvement
and preservation of typical sensory qualities.
The isolation and selection of these wild
strains is of great interest to standardize
quality and limit unsafe compound formation
while preserving product specifi city (Benito
et al. 2007 ; Villani et al. 2007 ; Di Cagno et
al. 2008 ; Talon et al. 2008 ). In addition, the
selection of appropriate starter cultures and
barrier microfl ora from the “ in - house ” fl ora
of small - scale producers would be a way to
improve safety without affecting their typic-
ity (Chevallier et al. 2006 ).

Processing Technology

Since the basic principles for the main opera-
tions of the manufacturing process are amply
described in the corresponding chapters else-
where in this book, only a brief consideration
on each stage will be made. Essential sequen-
tial steps for the manufacture of dry and

Table 22.1. Requirements of LAB and CNC strains to be used as starter cultures for semidry and
dry fermented sausages

Microbial group Metabolic activity Benefi ts during sausage fermentation

LAB Acidifi cation (rate and extent) Modulation of acid/tangy fl avor

Inhibition of pathogen and contaminants

Texture development

Acceleration of color formation and drying

Proteolytic (aminopeptidasic

and peptidasic) activity

Flavor development (nonvolatile taste

compounds)

Antimicrobial (bacteriocins)

activity

Inhibition of pathogen and contaminants

Shelf - life extension

Antioxidant activity (catalase

production)

Protection of color

CNC Nitrate - reductase activity Formation of cured - red typical color

Removal of excess nitrate

Catabolism of branched - chain

amino acids/free fatty acids

Flavor development (volatile aroma

compounds)

Yeasts and Molds Antioxidant activity

Proteolytic activity

Antioxidant activity

Prevents rancidity

Flavor development

Prevents rancidity

Improvement of color