The effects of sodium lactate and starter cultures on pH, lactic acid bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. levels in pure chicken dry fermented sausage.

Two starter cultures (A and B) and seven sodium lactate concentrations were evaluated for chicken raw dry-fermented sausage processing. Starter culture B contained more lactic acid bacteria and less staphylococci than starter A. Their effects on acidification and inhibition of pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.) were monitored. Starter culture B grew faster and was less inhibited by sodium lactate, thus inducting a faster and more important pH drop into the sausages. With lower pH, sausages processed with B starter were less contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes. The type of starter was found to influence the end-product pH, lactic acid bacteria content and extent of Listeria monocytogenes contamination. A 30-member panel did not note differences between sausages processed with the different starter cultures when lactate was added. Adding sodium lactate to the sausage mix reduced the pH drop in the dry sausage product. This acidification inhibiting effect of sodium lactate was greater for A. Sodium lactate significantly inhibited lactic acid bacteria development but did not reduce Listeria monocytogenes contamination frequency of the batches, unlike in many literature data. Sodium lactate may however control the acidification of the sausage processed with starter B, in order to obtain moderately acidified fermented sausages. A simple kinetic model was applied to our data. The sodium lactate content and especially the type of starter culture often had a significant effect on the four parameters of this empirical model (lag time, acidification time, initial and final pH).