Indigenous Microbiota to Leverage Traditional Dry Sausage Production

Abstract

The main issue addressed in this review is the need for innovation in the artisanal production of dry fermented sausages—leveraging rather than discarding tradition, together with some practical strategies available to achieve it. Throughout the text, emphasis is placed on the autochthonous microbiota responsible for the identity and unique sensory characteristics of these products. The available strategies to introduce innovation in this manufacturing process rely on metabolic flexibility of microbial strains. In this sense, this review evaluates the application of several tools aimed at improving the quality and safety of artisanal dry fermented sausages focusing on the microbial community role. The most studied alternatives to enhance dry sausage production comprise the use of autochthonous starter cultures—including functional and/or probiotic strains, the production of bacteriocins, and the generation of bioactive peptides, which have been thoroughly covered herein. The purpose of this work is to review recent research about novel different strategies available for food technologists to improve safety and quality in the manufacture of dry fermented sausages. Additional support strategies—quality product registers and innovation through tradition—have been suggested as complementary actions towards a successful introduction of indigenous microbial communities into traditional dry sausage production.

Detection of Enteric Viruses and Core Microbiome Analysis in Artisanal Colonial Salami-Type Dry-Fermented Sausages from Santa Catarina, Brazil

“…LAB and CNS were the most abundant groups in our samples (Figure 1), consistent with previous reports for dry sausages from Spain and Italy [6,8]. LAB was predominant in 11 of the 13 sausage samples: Latilactobacillus sakei was the most abundant taxon in samples L01, L03, L05, L06, L08, L10, L12, and L13 (r.a. of 43.56%, 65.85%, 49.57%, 38.38%, 42.70%, 62.75%, 40.30%, and 92.14%, respectively); Latilactobacillus curvatus was predominant in sample L02 (r.a. 60.31%); Lactococcus lactis in sample L04 (r.a. 33.33%), and Pediococcus pentosaceus in sample L11 (r.a. 36.39%).…”

“…Other species of Weissella, Leuconostoc, Lactococcus, and Pediococcus were also found, but as part of the subdominant microbiota in our samples. The fermentation in these sausages is spontaneous, so the microorganisms detected come from the meat and the surrounding environment [6].…”

“…The microbial communities in fermented sausage play significant roles in the flavor, texture, quality, and safety of sausages [5,6]. Understanding the ecology of fermented sausages is clearly key to understanding the physical and chemical changes that occur during fermentation and ripening [7].…”

“…High-throughput sequencing of the microbiota from salami-type dry-fermented sausages of different origins indicates that LAB and coagulase-negative cocci, including both micrococci and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are the predominant groups in spontaneously fermented artisanal sausages [8]. Debaryomyces, Penicillium, and Aspergillus are the yeast and mold genera most commonly found [6,[9][10][11]. Studies involving metagenomics for this type of fermented product are scarce in Brazil, and therefore, the ecology of Brazilian artisanal dry-fermented sausages needs further investigation.…”

Debaryomyces hansenii Is a Real Tool to Improve a Diversity of Characteristics in Sausages and Dry-Meat Products

“…The diversity of meat products, the heterogeneity of the strains, or the multiplicity of manufacturing processes makes impossible to predict what the final result would be after the inoculation of a given meat product with a selected D. hansenii strain, at a certain concentration, and under specific conditions, without a preliminary detailed study according to what the industry needs and the consumer demands. From this point of view, it is important to highlight the use of terroir strains and indigenous microbial communities to potentially improve and keep the properties and quality of the products [ 110 ].…”