## 3 Results and Discussion
### Effect of the Incorporation of the Valorized Pomace Ingredient in Dry-Cured Sausages
In our study, the addition of the RGP ingredient in salchichon maintained the pH at similar levels as typical commercial dry-cured meat products, which is important to reach an adequate fermentation. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline  & **Mean** & & **SD** \\ \hline Moisture & 28.1 & \(\pm\) & 1.5 \\ Protein & 40.5 & \(\pm\) & 1.9 \\ Fat & 13.5 & \(\pm\) & 2.1 \\ C12:0 & 0.1 & \(\pm\) & 0.0 \\ C14:0 & 1.4 & \(\pm\) & 0.0 \\ C16:0 & 23.2 & \(\pm\) & 0.0 \\ C16:1 & 3.1 & \(\pm\) & 0.0 \\ C17:0 & 0.4 & \(\pm\) & 0.0 \\ C17:1 & 0.4 & \(\pm\) & 0.0 \\ C18:0 & 10.8 & \(\pm\) & 0.0 \\ C18:1 & 45.6 & \(\pm\) & 0.1 \\ C18:2 & 13.6 & \(\pm\) & 0.1 \\ C18:3 & 0.6 & \(\pm\) & 0.0 \\ C20:0 & 0.0 & \(\pm\) & 0.0 \\ C20:1 & 0.9 & \(\pm\) & 0.0 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Proximate composition (g 100 g\({}^{-1}\)) and fatty acids profile (%) of dry-cured sausage (“salchichón”) (negative control batch). Microbiological counts of the dry-cured sausages are presented in Table 4. The initial counts (log CFU g\(-\)1) in masses before drying were mesophilic counts (7.0 \(\pm\) 0.1), LAB (4.9 \(\pm\) 0.1), _Clostridium perfringens_ (0.9 \(\pm\) 0.1), _Statiphylococcus aureus_ (1.9 \(\pm\) 0.1), total coliforms (4.7 \(\pm\) 0.2), _Escherichia coli_ (2.3 \(\pm\) 0.5), and molds and yeast counts (>4). The raw mixtures were in microbiological safety conditions, and these counts are considered in the range reported in comparable studies [2; 7; 12; 32]. In the dry-cured sausages (Table 4), the counts (log CFU g\(-\)1) of mesophilic and psychrophilic presented similar levels in all formulations of dry-cured sausages. However, the counts of LAB were lower in the NC group compared to the other groups, which agrees with the higher pH observed in these dry-cured sausages after maturation. The final pH of a fermented meat product is a consequence of the development of LAB during the maturation process, which is typical of the microbiota of fermented sausages [45]. Lactic aerobic bacteria produce lactic acid during the maturation process, with decreases in pH and the inhibition of microbial growth of other species and pathogenic bacteria, especially _Staphylococcus aureus_[7] or _Enterobacteriaceae_[2]. Therefore, high growth of LAB is linked with a low final pH in fermented meat products, and this low pH helps stabilize the fermented meat product microbiologically by inhibiting the growth of other pathogens [12]. The counts of _C. perfringens_, _S. aureus_, total coliforms, _E. coli_, and molds and yeasts were similar in all groups (\(p<0.05\)), and they were not affected by the formulation. The counts of dry-cured sausages were in the normal range for fermented meat products, and they were in line with those reported in Sicilian Salami ([PERSON] et al., 2004), traditional dry-cured sausages [7; 45], the dry-cured sausage \"salchichon\", or \"chorizo\" with grape pomace or its extracts [9; 12; 32]. Finally, _Salmonella_ and _Listeria_ were not detected in any group (absence in 25 g), as _S. aureus_, _E. coli_, total coliforms, and C. perfringens were also absent or inferior to the limit established by regulation (CE) n\({}^{\circ}\)2073/2005. According to a previous in vitro study, the antimicrobial activity of extracts from grape seeds (_Vitis vinifera_ L.) was estimated against _E. coli_ and _Listeria innocua_[47], and this activity could remain unchanged after HHP [30]. This technology was utilized for the stabilization of the RGP. In fresh burgers, the ingredient from white pomace presented some antimicrobial effect, since its addition to the burger reduced the counts of molds and yeasts and total coliform [31]. In the case of dry-cured sausages, the antimicrobial effect was not evident, since most counts were similar in all groups. However, the inclusion of RGP favored the acidification of the product and the levels of LAB were comparable to the found in the PC, which was manufactured with nitrifying salts and ascorbic acid.