Basic Studies of Production of Cured Meat Flavors in Mold-Fermented Salami Sausaae

Abstract

The cause of flavor formation on the surface of mold-fermented salami sausages (M. F. S. S. ), manufactured on the west coast of the U. S. A., was investigated. Changes in chemical components and SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic patterns of proteins extracted from M. F. S. S. during production were checked, and then microbial flora was investigated. Among detected fungi, a species which was thought to cause the flavor formation was selected and studied for optimum conditions for growth and production of enzymes. This fungus and its enzymes were tested for the reproduction of flavors in a model medium prepared with similar ingredients to M. F. S. S. . No changes in the electrophoretic pattern of proteins and microbial flora in the surface portion of M. F. S. S. were observed during production, and the main fungus detected was identified as Penicillium miczynskii. It showed the best growth in the medium of 6% NaCl, at pH 5.0 and 20°C. The activities of protease and lipase produced by P. miczynskii during incubation on wheat bran at 20°C were highest on the 20th day: 76.6, and 39.9u, respectively. In a reproduction test, the flavor was markedly improved when P. miczynskii was cultivated but no changes in flavor were evaluated when the crude enzyme solution was reacted.