# Microbiota and quality profiling of fermented goat meat sausages (sucuk) under nitrite-reduced and mixed-culture strategies

## TL;DR

This study explores how using lactic acid bacteria in combination with reduced nitrite can improve the safety and quality of fermented goat meat sausages.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the use of a mixed culture of lactic acid bacteria to enhance the microbiota and quality of nitrite-reduced fermented sausages.

## Key findings

- A mixed culture of Weissella, Limosilactobacillus, and Lactiplantibacillus improved acidification and inhibited pathogens in fermented sausages.
- The combination of 75 ppm nitrite and mixed culture preserved moisture and color stability during storage.
- Metagenomic analysis revealed a LAB-dominated microbiota associated with enhanced product quality and microbial stability.

## Abstract

The bioprotective activity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to modulate the microbiota and quality of nitrite-reduced fermented goat meat sucuk was investigated. Antagonistic activity of LAB strains against foodborne pathogens was evaluated using agar well diffusion, spot-on lawn, and cross-streak assays. Three LAB isolates affiliated with the genera Weissella, Limosilactobacillus, and Lactiplantibacillus, exhibiting inhibition zones > 18 mm, were selected and applied as a mixed culture (MC; 2:1:1). Sucuk formulations with 150, 75, and 0 ppm sodium nitrite were produced in the presence or absence of a MC and analyzed during fermentation (days 0 and 7) and refrigerated storage (days 7 and 14). Among the treatments, 75 ppm nitrite combined with MC (75-MC) exhibited the highest LAB counts, enhanced acidification (pH 4.7 on fermentation day 7), inhibited pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, and improved moisture and color stability (> 90% of initial L* and a*), with a significant treatment × day interaction (P < 0.05). Metagenomic analysis of the 16 S rRNA (V3–V4) and ITS2 regions revealed a LAB-dominated sucuk microbiota, characterized by Levilactobacillus (69.5%), Lactiplantibacillus (12.1%), Psychrobacter (8.8%), and Lacticaseibacillus (3.0%) among bacteria, and Yarrowia (46%), Kurtzmaniella (11.8%), Geotrichum (6.7%), and Cladosporium (5.5%) among fungi. This microbial composition was associated with enhanced microbial stability and technological quality, while mixed-culture strategies under nitrite-reduced conditions promoted a Lactobacillaceae-enriched microbiota, highlighting their potential role in bioprotection and product quality.