**Preface to "Sausages: Nutrition, Safety, Processing and Quality Improvement"**

Sausages are one of the oldest processed foods. They are strongly present in the gastronomy of each country, each region, and each geographical area, with maximum social and economic importance. Each local variety within each sausage type reflects the availability of raw materials, the climate conditions of each geographical environment, the cultural and religious conditionings, and the ancestral manufacture knowledge transmitted through generations. It is difficult to know exactly the total number of different sausages made in the world, but as an anecdotal example, Germany boasts of over 1000 different varieties. Most of the local varieties have not managed to transcend beyond their area of origin, but some others have reached a worldwide diffusion and are currently part of the gastronomic heritage of humanity. Beyond the social and cultural relevance of sausages, their economic significance is evident. According to a market report from Wise Guy Reports, the global sausage industry was valued at around USD 67.1 billion in 2016, and this figure is expected to reach about USD 76.6 billion by 2021.

The sensory excellence of the sausages that we know and enjoy is a consequence of the knowledge and good work of our ancestors, but science has also played its part. In recent years, raw materials and production processes have been improved and optimized, and this has required a programmed inquiry for reaching comprehensive knowledge of chemical, physical, and biological events that take place during the manufacturing of sausages and that are directly responsible for their nutritional features and sensory attributes.

The scientific research work carried out in recent years in this field has been extensive and fruitful, but there is still work to be done. Some sausage varieties are still unknown regarding their microbiological and biochemical features, or their production processes are insufficiently standardized. In other cases, there are safety or quality concerns that must be solved so that these sausages can be enjoyed to their fullest potential. Improvements in the sensory quality and/or the adaptation of their sensory and nutritional properties to changes in consumer preferences and requirements, all without sacrificing the personality and differential attributes of each sausage variety, is in all cases a permanent challenge. For all of these reasons, further studies and research are essential instruments to improve and continue enjoying these privileged foods. This volume aims to gather some of the latest advances and to be a useful tool for researchers and professionals in this scientific area.

> **Javier Carballo** *Editor*
