# Effect of Fermentation Technology and Storage Time on the Quality of Salami-Type Sausages
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Influence of Fermentation Technology on the Microbiological Characteristics of Salami-Type Sausages

Table 5: Changes in the color parameters of the cross-sections of salami-type sausages fermented with “warm” and “cold” technology, stored for 63 days. Furthermore, the total color change (\(\Delta\)E\({}_{0}\)) of the stored sausages was calculated based on the color parameters L*, a*, and b*. This parameter did not exceed 2.0 for WF sausages and 1.0 for CF sausages throughout the cold storage period (Table 5). According to [PERSON] and [PERSON] [32], when the \(\Delta\)E is less than 2.0, an untrained observer cannot perceive a color distinction between the samples, which is discernible solely to an experienced observer. An \(\Delta\)E value below 1.0 suggests that even experienced observers cannot discern the color differences. Therefore, it can be concluded that the color of the CF sausages demonstrated greater stability during storage compared to the WF sausages. The relatively small color variations noticed in the examined salami-type sausages can be attributed to including starter cultures. Research conducted by [PERSON] et al. [65] and [PERSON] et al. [66] has indicated that incorporating LAB in the production of fermented sausages effectively protects proteins and fats from oxidation, thereby enhancing color stability during storage. Influence of Fermentation Technology and Storage Time on the Textural Properties of Salami-Type Sausages  
The texture of fermented sausages results from physicochemical reactions occurring in the ground product during the fermentation and drying cycles. It depends primarily on the composition and processing of the raw materials [67]. The process of creating the texture of fermented products can be divided into three stages: extracting proteins during and after meat grinding, forming a protein gel during fermentation, and removing water during drying. The correct course of the subsequent stages is crucial for achieving the desired texture of the products [68]. Figure 1 depicts microscopic images of salami-type sausage slices captured immediately after ripening and during refrigerated storage. Sausages produced through \"cold\" and \"warm\" fermentation techniques exhibited a relatively consistent structure, with a uniform combination of chopped meat and fat. During grinding, salt is added to dissolve and extract proteins, primarily myosin, from the meat myofibrils, forming a dense protein film around the ground meat particles. In the subsequent fermentation process, the pH is decreased, causing the proteins to coagulate and form a gel that binds fat and meat molecules tightly together [68; 69]. However, as shown in Figure 1, sporadic single pores were observed in \"cold\"-fermented sausages, whereas \"warm\"-fermented sausages exhibited numerous pores. This discrepancy may result from difficulties encountered during the stuffing process, such as the utilization of inefficient machinery or inadequate venting. Nevertheless, it was noted that the structure porosity of sausages increased over time, which could be caused by a significant decrease in LAB activity and pH increase (see Table 4). An elevated pH level in fermented sausages frequently leads to a relaxation of their structure [19]. Table 6 presents the results of the TPA, shear force, and penetration force tests. The hardness of the salami sausages produced using \"cold\" fermentation technology increased over the storage period, unlike those produced using \"warm\" technology. At the beginning of the storage test, the WF sausages exhibited greater hardness than the CF sausages. However, after 21 days, the hardness of the WF sausages decreased by approximately 14%, and there was no substantial difference compared to the CF sausages (with a relatively constant hardness level until the 42 nd day of cold storage). After 63 days, a notable change in these textural parameter values was observed, with the CF sausages demonstrating a significantly higher hardness (\(p\leq 0.05\)) than the WF sausages. Regarding springiness, the CF sausages consistently demonstrated higher values during cold storage, except on day 0 (Table 6).