Bacteria Strain Shows Promise as Natural Meat Preservative

The lactic acid bacteria strain Enterococcus faecalis CECT7121 can provide a natural preservative for craft dry-fermented sausages, according to a new study.

The new research, published in Food Microbiology, demonstrates the protective benefits the strain has against harmful bacteria without compromising on the taste and texture of the sausage.

As part of a general shift towards natural and organic foods, consumers increasing prefer foods that do not contain synthetic preservatives or antimicrobial agents.

However, food safety must also remain a top priority for manufacturers, opening up new challenges to make safe foods that meet both the natural/organic and the food safety criteria — and for food ingredient firms to offer them appropriate ingredients to this end.

According to the researchers, the study "would indicate that the addition of E. Faecalis CECT7121 during the manufacture of craft dry-fermented sausages offers an interesting alternative for biopreservation".

They said it was an important study as poor hygiene conditions have been found to cause the loss of up to 25 per cent of the production, and there are few studies on meat products fermented at medium pH values.

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