Enhancing Fermented Sausage Quality with Weissella hellenica, Lactobacillus sakei, and Pediococcus pentosaceus

TL;DR

This study shows that using specific bacteria improves fermented sausage quality by enhancing texture, flavor, and shelf life.

Contribution

The novel use of Weissella hellenica, Lactobacillus sakei, and Pediococcus pentosaceus together in fermented meats is explored.

Findings

Compound fermenter group increased hardness and chewiness while reducing moisture loss in sausages.

Flavor compounds increased by 8.7%, with no lipid oxidation-derived off-flavors detected.

Improved oxidative and microbial stability with higher sensory scores over 90-day storage.

Abstract

The natural fermentation of sausages often results in inconsistent gel texture and flavor stability. This study introduces a compound fermenter group (Weissella hellenica, Lactobacillus sakei, and Pediococcus pentosaceus) to improve the quality of fermented sausages. The aim was to evaluate its flavor-modulating and quality-preserving effects, addressing the research gap in applying these microbial synergies in fermented meats. Sausages inoculated with the compound fermenter group were compared with control group (naturally fermented) over 90-day frozen storage using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses. The results showed that the compound fermenter group enhanced protein gel network stability (increased hardness and chewiness; reduced moisture loss), enriched the volatile aroma profile, with an 8.7% increase in the variety of flavor compounds and no detected lipid oxidation-derived off-flavor aldehydes (e.g., trans-2-nonenal), and improved oxidative and microbial stability (lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and total volatile basic nitrogen values; total viable counts within safety limits), with consistently higher sensory scores. The compound fermenter group effectively coordinates proteolysis, gelation, and flavor metabolism, offering a promising strategy for producing high-quality fermented meat gels with optimized texture and extended shelf life.

Figures