# Effect of Fermentation Technology and Storage Time on the Quality of Salami-Type Sausages
## 2 Materials and Methods  
### Production and Storage of Salami-Type Sausages  
This study was conducted on two salami-type sausages obtained by different fermentation technologies and then stored for 63 days. The recipe was developed and the production and ripening processes were carried out in one of the largest meat plants specializing in producing raw-ripening sausages in Poland. Salami-type sausages were made in accordance with good production practices based on the same raw material composition. The basic raw materials were lean pork meat from the shoulder cut (80% \(w/w\)) and pork back fat from the thoracic region (20% \(w/w\)) (Sokolow SA, Sokolow Podlaski, Poland). Supporting raw materials were added (in relation to the weight of basic raw materials) as follows: curing salt (2.6% \(w/w\)), ascorbic acid (0.2% \(w/w\)), dextrose (0.1% \(w/w\)), milled black pepper (0.12% \(w/w\)), and garlic (0.035% \(w/w\)) (AMCO Sp. z o.o., Dybow-Kolonia, Poland). Different fermentation technologies required the use of different starter cultures. In the case of so-called \"warm\" fermentation, Bactoferm F-SC-111 starter cultures (_Lactobacillus sakei_ and _Staphylococcus carnosus_; total cell count \(\geq\) 4.5 \(\times\) 10\({}^{10}\) CFU/g) (Chr. Hansen GmbH, Nienburg, Germany) were used. For so-called \"cold\" fermentation, SafePro\" Flora Italia LCstarter cultures (_Lactobacillus sakei_, _Pediococcus acidilactici_, and _Staphylococcus carosus_; total cell count \(\geq\) 3.8 \(\times\) 10\({}^{10}\) CFU/g) (Chr. Hansen GmbH, Nienburg, Germany) were applied.  
The characteristics of the bacterial strains contained in the starter cultures are shown in Table 1.  
Lean pork meat and pork back fat were ground through a 3 mm diameter cutting plate, then chopped in a cutter with other ingredients for 3 min to obtain a homogenous meat batter. The starter cultures were added at the level of 25 g/100 kg. The batter was stuffed into natural porcine casings with a diameter of 45 mm. These prepared semifinished products were fermented for 5 days with medium air circulation. During the first three days, \"warm\" fermentation was conducted at an initial temperature of 24-26 \({}^{\circ}\)C, followed by 20-21 \({}^{\circ}\)C, with a relative humidity of 85-90%. On the fourth and fifth days, the temperature was maintained at 16-18 \({}^{\circ}\)C with a relative humidity of about 85%. For the three days of \"cold\" fermentation, the temperature was around 12-15 \({}^{\circ}\)C with a relative humidity of 85-90%. During the fourth and fifth days, the temperature was set at approximately 15 \({}^{\circ}\)C, with a relative humidity of around 85%.  
The fermented sausages were ripened for 14 days with an air humidity of 70-80%. On the first day, the sausages were smoked (with oak chips) for 30 min at 25 \({}^{\circ}\)C, and on the fourth day, for 3 h at 25 \({}^{\circ}\)C. Then, during ripening, the temperature in the chamber was gradually lowered to approximately 16 \({}^{\circ}\)C. In the last stage, the salami-type sausages were subjected to a final drying at 15 \({}^{\circ}\)C and a relative air humidity of approximately 75%.  
Warm-fermented (WF) and cold-fermented (CF) salami-type sausages were produced and tested in four independent batches. Immediately after the ripening process at the plant, the sausage samples (20 kg of each batch) were collected and transported under refrigerated conditions to the WULS-SGGW laboratory. The batches of sausages were divided into four parts (5 kg each), which were stored for 63 days at a temperature of 2-4 \({}^{\circ}\)C. These samples were examined on 0, 21, 42, and 63 days of cold storage.