Effects of starter cultures on the biochemical characteristics of French dry sausages.

Bacterial starter cultures, consisting of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus, Pediococcus) and staphylococci (Staphlylococcus carnosus. S. saprophyticus, S. warneri), have an important effect on the pH, lactate, acetate and free fatty acid contents of sausages. Sausages made with L. sake had the lowest pH whereas no change of pH was noticed in the controls and in the sausages inoculated with P. acidilactici. Inoculation of S. saprophyticus led to sausages with a high acetate content. Lipolysis occurred not only in inoculated samples but also in the controls, but it was the highest in the sausages inoculated with S. warneri.