Starter cultures for meat products

The microorganisms used for meat fermentation consist of a group of the lactic acid bacteria (e.g. Lactobacillus and Pediococcus spp.), the Micrococcaceae (e.g. Staphylococcus and Micrococcus spp.), plus Strepto-myces, Debaryomyces and Penicillium spp. 

1 Lactic acid bacteria. The number of species within lactic acid bacteria used for sausage fermentation is modest. According to Hammes et al. (1985) the following five species can be found in starter culture preparations Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus sake, Lactobacillus curvatus, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Pediococcus acidilactici. In addition, Lactobacillus pentosus is also used. 

2 Micrococcaceae. Staphylococcus spp. and to a lesser extent Micrococcus spp. are found in commercial starter cultures (Hammes et al., 1985). Three species are mentioned Staphylococcus carnosus. Staphylococcus xylosus and Micrococcus varians. 

The advantage of using the Micrococcaceae in fermented sausage production is a more reliable colour formation and colour stabilisation, together with enhancement of aroma. The cured colour is due to nitrosyl-myoglobin, a component obtained in the reaction of nitric oxide with myoglobin. The Micrococcaceae possess the necessary enzyme nitrate reductase that transforms nitrate into nitrite. In an acid environment, nitrite is converted into nitrous acid that is dismutated into nitric oxide. 

Micrococcaceae also possess catalase that decomposes hydrogen peroxide, a component produced by the indigenous microflora (Lticke, 1986a). 

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