Technological traits and mitigation activity of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria from mediterranean fermented meat-products

The production of safe and standardized fermented sausages with typical characteristics linked to traditional origin is highly desirable. The use of autochthonous starter cultures that provide peculiar flavor, texture and color to the fermented products, while maintaining the meat-product safe can be a feasible strategy for producers. In this study, 45 strains of Latilactobacillus sakei and 1 Latilactobacillus curvatus isolated from natural Mediterranean fermented sausages, were screened as potential protective cultures for their use in the fermented sausage industry. Technological properties, inhibitory activity towards Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua and the presence of genes coding for bacteriocins, were investigated. All tested strains showed an antagonistic effect by growing, while inhibiting the growth of target harmful microorganisms, in a strain-specific manner. At least one bacteriocin encoding genes was present in 25 strains, mainly sakacin X and sakacin P. The technological performances of the strains highlighted a great variability in the behavior, confirming the phenotypic diversity already reported for LAB species highly adapted to meat environment. Results highlight the potentiality of these strains to be used as protective starters in fermented meat products to improve food quality and microbiological safety, as well as giving peculiar characteristics to the final product.