High pressure processing at the early stages of ripening enhances the safety and quality of dry fermented sausages elaborated with or without starter culture.

To study the quality of chorizo de León dry fermented sausages (DFS), high pressure processing (HPP) applied at the early stages of ripening and the use of a functional starter culture were evaluated as additional safety measures. Furthermore, the ability to control the populations of artificially inoculated Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium was investigated and the evolution of microbial communities was assessed by amplicon 16S rRNA metataxonomics. The use of HPP and the starter culture, independently or combined, induced a reduction of Listeria monocytogenes of 1.

Application of lactic acid bacteria for the biopreservation of meat products: A systematic review.

The increasing concern of consumers about food quality and safety and their rejection of chemical additives has promoted the breakthrough of the biopreservation field and the development of studies on the use of beneficial bacteria and their metabolites as potential natural antimicrobials for shelf life extension and enhanced food safety. Control of foodborne pathogens in meat and meat products represents a serious challenge for the food industry which can be addressed through the intelligent use of bio-compounds or biopreservatives. This article aims to systematically review the available knowledge about biological strategies based on the use of lactic acid bacteria to control the proliferation of undesirable microorganisms in different meat products.

A study of haptoglobin levels in groups of cattle and pigs with and without abnormalities at meat inspection.

A total of 96 bovines originating from 36 farms and 97 pigs from five farms were slaughtered in two multispecies abattoirs and subjected to official meat inspection and haptoglobin (Hp) testing using a single radial immunodiffusion method. No direct correlation between Hp level and specific postmortem abnormalities was found at individual cattle/pig level. However, at animal group level, the mean of Hp values (in both cattle and pigs) were statistically significantly higher in animals with abnormalities than in those without.