Effect of Latilactobacillus sakei and Staphylococcus xylosus on the textural characteristics of dry fermented sausages

This study examined the effect of inoculating Latilactobacillus sakei R7 and Staphylococcus xylosus A2 on the textural characteristics of fermented sausages. The results showed that, at the end of ripening, the sausages inoculated with L. sakei increased hardness, springiness, cohesiveness and chewiness (P < 0.05), but the inoculation of the sausages with S. xylosus did not affect these textural characteristics (P > 0.05). L. sakei reduced the pH of the fermented sausages through acid production, causing protein denaturation and the subsequent exposure of hydrophobic groups. Consequently, the cross-linking between meat proteins was enhanced. Hydrophobic interaction was found to be the main force that maintained the three-dimensional gel network of the L. sakei-inoculated sausage. The uniform and dense gel network structure led to the enhanced springiness and cohesiveness of the fermented sausage. Simultaneously, the sausages inoculated with L. sakei exhibited an increase in moisture loss and a decrease in water activity owing to the closeness of the pH to the isoelectric point of the myofibrillar protein, which also increased the hardness of the sausages. This study further elucidates the formation of acid-induced gel and provides a theoretical basis for understanding the effect of inoculation on the textural characteristics of fermented sausages.