Abstract
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated during the production and the ripening of Greek dry fermented sausages. Samples were taken at different stages, and 150 "wild' strains were isolated. The majority of the strains isolated were assigned to the species Lactobacillus plantarum biotype (1) (43.3 %) followed by Lb. curvatus, Lb. pentosus (10.7 %), Lb. brevis biotype (1) (8.7 %), Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biotype (1) (6.7 %) and Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroid.es biotype (2) (5.3 %). The possibility of bacteriocin production was tested using the agar well diffusion assay (AWDA). One strain was found to produce bacteriocin (Leuconostoc mesenteroides E131) and its purification was attempted using precipitation with ammonium sulphate, cation exchange, and reverse phase chromatography. Moreover, the purification of curvaticin L442 was attemped, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus curvatus L442, isolated from Greek traditional fermented sausage prepared without addition of starters. The bacteriocin was purified by 50% ammonium sulphate precipitation, cation exchange, reverse phase and gel filtration chromatography. Lb sakei I154, a bacteriocin producing strain isolated from Italian fermented sausage, and the semi-purified bacteriocin from Leuconostoc mesenteroides E131 were validated via industrial trials to evaluate whether the product (fermented sausages) maintains the technological characteristics and the traditional quality characteristics. Three fermentations under controlled conditions were conducted and at the end of these fermentations, products were sliced and packaged under controlled atmosphere (80% N2 + 20% CO2) and stored at 4+/-2 °C for 12 weeks to determine the shelf life of the product. Finally, from the previous industrial trials the proper production parameters were determined as well as the most effective packaging techniques, resulting in the conduction of a Standard Operation Procedures Guide concerning the whole production of traditional fermented sausages.