Microbial Communities in Fermented Foods

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 1111

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Food and Technology Area, Institute for Mountain Agriculture and Food Technology, Research Centre Laimburg, 39040 Auer, Italy
Interests: fermentation for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; food fermentation; functional food compound; yeast; lactic acid bacteria; food safety; food technology; distillation
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Guest Editor
Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, 1810 Hinman Ave., Evanston, IL 60208, USA
Interests: food microbiology; food fermentation; food safety; lactic acid bacteria; health impact of fermented food and microbiome evolution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fermentation has been utilized to modify and produce foods since antiquity. Humans soon learned that the characteristics of foods changed upon storage, gaining access to desirable new flavor profiles which can be exploited to preserve the food. The microbial and enzymatic actions responsible for the biochemical changes are associated with the beneficial effects in the sensory characteristics, digestibility, and nutrient content of fermented foods and beverages. Fermented foods exhibit many beneficial health effects. These are often attributed to the bioactive molecules synthesized in the microbial degradation of proteins and carbohydrates, which are also important for the preservation of gut microbial diversity thanks to the complex microbial communities involved. Fermentation has been an indispensable part of the human diet since ancient civilization and is still an integral part of local cultures and traditions in many developing countries. Its popularity is increasing in Western countries due to its numerous health implications. In this context, we wish to promote the development and diffusion of fermented products. Nearly all food commodities can be fermented, including meat, fish, milk, grains, fruit, and vegetable. Furthermore, fermentation can play a pivotal role in plant-based alternatives to meat/dairy products, introduce specific probiotics characteristics, and drive a sustainable and circular economy via the use of food by-products and waste conversion into high-value food products.

Dr. Lorenza Conterno
Dr. Maria Luisa Savo Sardaro
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • fermentation
  • fermented foods and beverages
  • microbial degradation
  • microbial communities
  • meat/dairy products
  • probiotics
  • high-value food products

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 1088 KiB  
Article
Influence of Different Starter Cultures on Physical–Chemical, Microbiological, and Sensory Characteristics of Typical Italian Dry-Cured “Salame Napoli”
by Giulia Polizzi, Loriana Casalino, Marika Di Paolo, Alma Sardo, Valeria Vuoso, Carlos Manuel Franco and Raffaele Marrone
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 3035; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14073035 - 4 Apr 2024
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Abstract
The selection of starter cultures with different technological profiles and suitable microclimatic conditions is among the main tools used to improve the technological quality and safety of dry-cured salami. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of two different starter [...] Read more.
The selection of starter cultures with different technological profiles and suitable microclimatic conditions is among the main tools used to improve the technological quality and safety of dry-cured salami. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of two different starter cultures [fast (SR) and medium (SM) acidification] during the process and on the quality of typical Italian dry-cured “Salame Napoli”. The ripening process was evaluated in dry-cured salami made with different cultures: Euroferment Medium (Staphylococcus xylosus, Lactobacillus plantarum) in SM and Euroferment Rapid (Staphylococcus carnosus, Staphylococcus xylosus, Lactobacillus sakei) in SR. The salami was stuffed in artificial casings, dried for 5 days and then ripened for 28 days at a controlled temperature of 12–14 °C and 80–90% RH. During the ripening process, an evaluation of the appearance, the pH, and the weight loss of the salami were conducted. For each finished product, the physical–chemical, microbiological, rheological, and sensory characteristics were evaluated. The results showed that the different starter cultures influenced the pH descent, which was faster in SR, reaching a pH value of 4.80 in three days. This influenced the consistency profile of the SR salami, which showed higher hardness (46.04 ± 6.53 in SR vs. 35.60 ± 2.62 in SM; p < 0.05) and gumminess (19.21 ± 3.44 in SR vs. 11.89 ± 0.71 in SM; p < 0.05) values. SR salami revealed a higher count of yeasts and a lower malondialdehyde concentration than SM. The presence of the starter in SM has positively affected the intensity of the aroma. The outcomes indicated the importance of selecting starter cultures to not only ensure food safety but also to obtain the desired sensorial characteristics of the product. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Communities in Fermented Foods)
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