Effect of different strategies of Lactobacillus plantarum incorporation in chorizo sausages.

BACKGROUND

Chorizo is a high-value Spanish-type dry fermented sausage, highly appreciated by consumers. In this kind of product, Lactobacillus plantarum plays an important role in the fermentation process and can also be considered as a probiotic. The impact of different strategies for incorporating probiotic L. plantarum into the physico-chemical, microbiological, and sensorial characteristics of chorizo sausages was studied. These strategies were: free cells (Cfc); alginate beads (Calg); water-in-oil emulsion (Cwo), and water-in-oil-in-water emulsion (Cwow). Proximate composition, weight loss, pH, a , color, and microbiological behavior were evaluated during the ripening (20 days) of chorizo.

RESULTS

The strategy of incorporating L. plantarum significantly affected the proximate composition, pH, and a of sausages. However, the traditional red color of chorizo was maintained for all formulations. The incorporation of probiotics as free cells or encapsulated in alginate beads resulted in higher counts of lactic acid bacteria and L. plantarum, lower counts of Enterobacteriaceae, and in acceptable sensory scores.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the quality of chorizo sausages was conditioned by the incorporation strategy, and the addition of probiotics in alginate beads (Calg) was the most effective strategy. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.