Microbial characterisation of fermented meat products from the Sicilian swine breed "Suino Nero Dei Nebrodi"

Two traditional sausage products ("salsiccia" and "salame") processed from the raw meat of the Black Sicilian swine "Suino Nero dei Nebrodi" were microbiologically investigated during the manufacturing and ripening stages. Both products were dominated by lactic acid bacteria (LAB), especially rod-shaped types. The concentration of enterococci was consistent in salame. Coagulase-negative cocci increased slower than LAB. Yeasts showed an increasing trend during the ripening of both products. Enterobacteriaceae were counted at a constant level of about 10(5) CFU/g in both products, while pseudomonads diminished during ripening. Coagulase-positive staphylococci, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. were not detected at the end of the ripening process. Characterisation of LAB at the strain and species level revealed that Lactococcus lactis was found only in the meat mixture, while Lactobacillus sakei and various enterococci persisted during the monitoring period. Some LAB strains isolated from sausages were also identified on the surface of the factory equipment. Two strains (Lactobacillus sakei SS106A and Enterococcus faecalis SS91) were characterised by their anti-Listeria properties due to bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance production. A multiple strain starter composed of Lactobacillus sakei and enterococci has been proposed to maintain the typical characteristics of the two fermented meat products microbiologically investigated in this study.