# Functional and Clean Label Dry Fermented Meat Products:
## 1 Introduction  
Fermentation and drying processes are likely the oldest forms of meat preservation [1]. Nowadays, there are many formulations of fermented meat products all over the world. The composition and ratio of raw materials, meat species, and salt as well as the addition of spices and seasonings and the processing procedures are key factors influencing the composition of the fermented meat product [2]. Sausages are one of the oldest foods processed by humanity, however, dry-fermented sausages are of particular importance to modern consumer in terms of their nutritional properties. These products are elaborated with meat and fat, mixed with salt, curing agents, sugar, and spices. Despite fermented sausages have their longest tradition in Southern and Central Europe, today many varieties of these products are produced all over the world. Many factors have been influencing this phenomenon: the availability of various meat raw materials, different climatic conditions at each location, cultural and religious factors, and the knowledge passed over generations about the production of these products [3, 4, 5]. In this context, the great variety of these products around the world makes fermented sausages a cultural heritage of many regions [6]. Generally, traditionally fermented meat products have become one of the most important components of the human diet and an important sector of the meat products market. In the recent years, the innovation on fermented meat products has been aimingto enhance their quality, especially health-related characteristics, while maintaining their sensory characteristics [6; 7]. The sensory characteristics of fermented meat products are the result of a series of changes in the raw materials, ingredients, and additives due to the activity of meat enzymes and microorganisms (naturally occurring or added as starter cultures) [8]. The production of fermented sausages is characterized by key stages (fermentation, ripening, and drying) that modify carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids and generate the specific physicochemical parameters (pH, water activity, color) and sensory parameters (taste, aroma, flavor) [9]. Therefore, thanks to the selection of specific processing conditions, it is possible to obtain a wide variety of fermented meat products with specific, exclusive, and characteristic characteristics and sensory attributes [10]. The fermentation stage plays a central role in the production of fermented sausages by favoring the initial acidification of the meat mass. Naturally occurring or starter cultures produce organic acids (especially lactic acid) and reduce the pH of the sausage mass, which improves safety by inhibiting the growth of pathogenic and contaminant spoilage flora [5]. The production of H\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{2}\) and bacteriocins from microbial activity are responsible for preventing the growth of spoilage microorganisms and food-borne pathogens in fermented sausages [10]. Additionally, specific starter cultures have been used to produce functional sausages due to their probiotic potential [11; 12; 13; 14]. Natural peptides released during the fermentation of meat products are currently being studied due to their health-promoting characteristics, including immuno-modulatory activity and protection against oxidative stress [15; 16; 17]. Antioxidant activity is one of the potential health benefits associated with bioactive peptides from fermented meat products [18]. Their presence, as well as other bioactive ingredients including conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) can be changed by modifying the processing conditions or the strains composing the starter culture [16]. The type of starter culture included in the elaboration of fermented meat products affects the number of peptides produced and their properties [19]. Another strategy to obtain healthier and functional fermented meat products consist in the incorporation of bioactive compounds from plants [20].