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

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of 39, 53, or 75, previously isolated from pastırma, on the quality characteristics of pastırma, a Turkish dry-cured meat product, and to evaluate their potential use as starter cultures. The pastırma production was carried out with a traditional method. The control pastırma 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 value was below 0.90 in all groups. The strains used exhibited good adaptation to the pastırma. The 53 decreased the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value in pastırma, while the 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. 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 39 from other groups.