Dry-cured sausages - Factors influencing souring and their consequences

Although there is a long tradition behind the manufacture of dry-cured sausages in Spain the quantity produced is continually falling. There is a similar trend in other European countries as well, e.g. France and Italy. There are a number of reasons for the decline in production and consumption of dry-cured sausages. One of the most important is the changeover from traditional methods (slow ripening) to new methods (quick ripening). The change in manufacturing technology is accompanied by a loss of typical sensory properties. We increasingly find that quickly ripened products have a very intense acid flavour which is not acceptable to the consumer. In view of this development ist is necessary to examine the processes that take place during the souring and fermentation of dry-cured sausages and in particular the influence that this process has on quality characteristics and all other relevant factors. The knowledge thus obtained should form a basis for the development of suitable manufacturing methods and at the same time provide a foundation for the development of optimized methods which alter the character of these products as little as possible. In the present study we shall consider the consequences of souring and the factors influencing this process. The manufacturing conditions will also be examined more closely insofar as they permit the use of certain technologies without incurring bacteriological risks.