Safety and technological issues of dry fermented sausages produced without nitrate and nitrite

•Nitrate/nitrite elimination requires technological changes to produce high quality salamis.•Ripening temperature was lowered for guaranteeing microbiological safety.•Higher concentrations of bioprotective starter cultures were adopted.•Low sugar concentration allowed to obtain better textural features and lower oxidation level.•Salamis were challenged with Listeria innocua, Salmonella enterica and Clostridium botulinum.