# Effect of Fermentation Technology and Storage Time on the Quality of Salami-Type Sausages
## 4 Conclusions  
In this research, the effect of fermentation technology (\"warm\"--traditional, \"cold\"--alternative) and refrigerated storage time on the quality characteristics of salam-type sausages (made of pork) was evaluated. This study demonstrated the significant influence of fermentation conditions and culture selection on the quality characteristics of the salami sausages (of the same recipe composition) immediately after ripening and on the differentiation of their individual properties during cold storage. The quality attributes of WF sausages exhibited more pronounced alterations during storage than those of CF sausages. This discrepancy can be primarily attributed to a heightened fermentation rate, instigating the salamis' modification during the subsequent processing and storage phases. Conversely, the gentler conditions during \"cold\" fermentation result in a slower evolution of the stored sausages' properties. Despite the high counts of LAB (about 7 log CFU/g) and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (about 3 log CFU/g) after ripening, their metabolic activity in WF sausages can be much lower compared to CF sausages. Therefore, these beneficial microorganisms presumably provided less protection for the product, resulting in increased pH levels, a degree of fat hydrolysis and oxidation, and the decreased hardness of traditional salami during storage. The sensory evaluation reflected these unfavorable quality changes, showing that \"cold\"-fermented sausages were more sensorially desirable, especially after 21 days of storage. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Fementation Technology**} & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Storage Time [Days]**} \\ \cline{2-5}  & **0** & **21** & **42** & **63** \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{5}{c}{Color [points]} \\ \hline Warm & 8.13 \(\pm\) 0.08 bA & 5.67 \(\pm\) 0.54 aA & 7.27 \(\pm\) 0.08 bA & 8.00 \(\pm\) 0.00 bB \\ Cold & 8.10 \(\pm\) 0.08 bC & 7.73 \(\pm\) 0.36 bB & 8.53 \(\pm\) 0.08 cB & 6.20 \(\pm\) 0.00 aA \\ \hline \multicolumn{5}{c}{Odor [points]} \\ \hline Warm & 7.00 \(\pm\) 0.00 bA & 6.47 \(\pm\) 0.08 aA & 6.80 \(\pm\) 0.14 bA & 7.40 \(\pm\) 0.00 cB \\ Cold & 6.93 \(\pm\) 0.29 aA & 6.67 \(\pm\) 0.67 aA & 8.40 \(\pm\) 0.16 bB & 6.87 \(\pm\) 0.16 aA \\ \hline \multicolumn{5}{c}{Consistency [points]} \\ \hline Warm & 6.47 \(\pm\) 0.16 aA & 6.33 \(\pm\) 0.73 aA & 6.53 \(\pm\) 0.29 aA & 7.33 \(\pm\) 0.08 aA \\ Cold & 6.67 \(\pm\) 0.33 aA & 6.67 \(\pm\) 0.71 aA & 8.00 \(\pm\) 0.14 bA & 7.80 \(\pm\) 0.00 aB \\ \hline \multicolumn{5}{c}{Flavor [points]} \\ \hline Warm & 6.13 \(\pm\) 0.29 aB & 6.40 \(\pm\) 0.42 bA & 5.13 \(\pm\) 0.08 aA & 7.08 \(\pm\) 0.20 bA \\ Cold & 6.33 \(\pm\) 0.41 aA & 7.13 \(\pm\) 0.29 bC & 7.93 \(\pm\) 0.22 cB & 7.00 \(\pm\) 0.00 aB \\ \hline \multicolumn{5}{c}{Acid off-flavor [points]} \\ \hline Warm & 5.13 \(\pm\) 0.33 aB & 5.47 \(\pm\) 0.45 bA & 5.03 \(\pm\) 0.22 abA & 6.87 \(\pm\) 0.16 cA \\ Cold & 6.07 \(\pm\) 0.36 aA & 7.00 \(\pm\) 0.28 bB & 7.67 \(\pm\) 0.08 bB & 6.93 \(\pm\) 0.08 abA \\ \hline \multicolumn{5}{c}{Overall desirability [points]} \\ \hline Warm & 6.42 \(\pm\) 0.27 bA & 6.27 \(\pm\) 0.36 bA & 5.90 \(\pm\) 0.34 bA & 5.43 \(\pm\) 0.20 aA \\ Cold & 6.83 \(\pm\) 0.27 aA & 7.07 \(\pm\) 0.29 abB & 7.87 \(\pm\) 0.16 bB & 6.93 \(\pm\) 0.08 aA \\ \hline \end{tabular} Different lowercase letters between mean values \(\pm\) standard deviations in the row indicate significant differences (grouping variable: storage time), \(p\leq\) 0.05. Different uppercase letters between mean values \(\pm\) standard deviations in the column for a given parameter indicate significant differences (grouping variable: fermentation technology), \(p\leq\) 0.05.  
\end{table} 
Table 7: Changes in the sensory attributes of salami-type sausages fermented with “warm” and “cold” technology, stored for 63 days.