Enhancing safety and quality of smoked horse sausages: the role of clove essential oil microcapsules in controlling tyramine formation and Enterococcus growth

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of clove essential oil microcapsules on tyramine biosynthesis and the proliferation of Enterococcus faecium E 2079 during smoked horse sausage fermentation. The results showed that clove essential oil microcapsules significantly inhibited the growth of Enterococcus faecium E 2079 and downregulated the expression of related genes, thereby reducing tyramine accumulation and microbial proliferation. Clove essential oil microcapsules exhibited stronger inhibitory effects than clove essential oil and chitosan gelatin composite microcapsules. The results suggested that microencapsulated clove essential oil can prevent quality deterioration and suppress tyramine biosynthesis during the fermentation and storage of smoked horse sausage.