Evaluation of Autochthonous Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci as Starter Cultures for the Production of Pastirma

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of Staphylococcus xylosus 39, S. equorum 53, or S. vitulinus 75, previously isolated from pastirma, on the quality characteristics of pastirma, a Turkish dry-cured meat product, and to evaluate their potential use as starter cultures. The pastirma production was carried out with a traditional method. The control pastirma groups were manufactured without adding any starter culture. At the end of production, the groups were subjected to microbiological and physico-chemical analyses. The pH was above 5.5, and the a(w) value was below 0.90 in all groups. The strains used exhibited good adaptation to the pastirma. The S. equorum 53 decreased the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value in pastirma, while the S. xylosus 39 increased the redness (a*) color value. The autochthonous strains caused a decrease in the palmitic acid (C16:0). However, they had no significant effect on the stearic acid (C18:0) and the oleic acid (C18:1n-9c). A total of 41 volatile compounds were identified in the groups. S. vitulinus 75 increased both benzaldehyde and 2-methyl-3-phenylpropanal levels. In addition, the principal component analysis (PCA) of volatile compounds provided a good separation, and PC1 separated S. xylosus 39 from other groups.

Journal

FOODS

Year

2023

Volume

12

Issue

15

eISSN

2304-8158

DOI

10.3390/foods12152856

WoS UID

WOS:001046183800001