# Effects of Preservative Agents on Quality Attributes of Dry-Cured Fermented Sausages
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Effect of Biocontrol Agents on the Dry-Cured Fermented Sausages Characteristics  
Sausages inoculated with different combinations of the biocontrol agents were then ripened (Figure 5) to assess the influence of these microorganisms on the physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of the final products. After the inoculation of Ef, Dh, and Pc on the surface of sausages, and their drying and ripening, the physico-chemical parameters were measured (Table 1). \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Parameters**} & \multicolumn{5}{c}{**Batches**} \\ \cline{2-6}  & **C**1 ** & **C**1  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2  & **C**2 [FOOTNOTE:2]Footnote 2: Penicillium chrysogenum_ CECT 20922; M: inoculated with the three biocontrol agents. * Indicates statistical differences with respect to the control (\(p\leq 0. The biocontrol agent Pc grew properly in the inoculated batches P and M (Figure 5). Nonetheless, the surfaces of the sausages from the remaining batches were gradually covered by spontaneous molds from the native population during the ripening period (Figure 5), as happens in the traditional industries. The pH of the sausages was not significantly affected by the inoculation of Pc and the mix of the biocontrol agents when compared with the non-inoculated batch (Batch C; Table 1). However, the use of Ef and Dh slightly changed the pH (batches E and D, respectively). It is well known that LAB acidify dry-cured fermented sausages throughout the fermentation stage, with the subsequent improvement of their safety [33]. On the contrary, Dh causes a small rise in the pH, that could be a consequence of the increased proteolytic activity or the lactic acid consumption [18; 34]. The \(a_{\mathrm{w}}\) in all the batches inoculated with the biocontrol agents was significantly lower with respect to batch C (Table 1). However, no differences were observed in the moisture among batches (Table 1). That is in accordance with other studies performed on dry-cured fermented sausages with the addition of \(D\). _hansenii_[34], because it favors dehydration through proteolysis; and LAB are linked to the decrease in the water-holding capacity of denaturalized proteins, in the last case induced by the acidification [35]. The reduction of \(a_{\mathrm{w}}\) in batch P could be related to the capacity for holding water by molds growing on the surface of dry-cured fermented sausages [36]. The mix of the three biocontrol agents was also significantly different with respect to the control, showing the lowest \(a_{\mathrm{w}}\) value (0.85). However, no differences among batches were detected in the moisture that could indicate a uniform drying process. Despite the fact that the inoculated batches showed some differences in physico-chemical parameters with respect to the control, the obtained values were within the usual range for dry-cured fermented (salchichon), the pH being from 5 to 6 [3; 37], \(a_{\mathrm{w}}\) from 0.80 to 0.87 [18; 38], and moisture from 20% to 44% [3; 39]. Therefore, the studied protective cultures did not lead to relevant disturbances of these parameters through the ripening process of the sausages. Regarding the instrumental texture parameters, similar results were obtained in the five manufactured batches, their values being in the common ranges of dry-cured fermented sausages: for hardness, from 74.4 to 269.2 N [17; 40]; springiness, from 0.55 to 0.8 [41; 42]; cohesiveness, from 0.39 to 0.8 [3; 17]; and chewiness, from 94.8 to 152.4 N [3]. However, all the sausages showed higher levels of adhesiveness than others previously reported, from \(-0.44\) to \(-2.44\)[17; 42].