Improvement of the Sensory Properties of Dry Fermented Sausages by the Superficial Inoculation and/or the Addition of Intracellular Extracts of Mucor racemosus

ABSTRACT: The effect of inoculation of the "salchichón" (dry fermented sausage) surface with an atoxigenic, proteolytic, and lipolytic strain of Mucor racemosus and/or the addition of a intracellular extract of the same mold on the ripening process was studied. Four batches of salchichón were manufactured: control, superficially inoculated, added with intracellular extract, and a combination of both treatments. Superficial mold modified the amino and free fatty acid contents, volatile compounds, and sensory properties. Intracellular extract degraded free amino acids, producing a rise in ammonia and volatile compounds. Both treatments combined improved significantly the sensory properties, which were given scores higher than control sausages at the end of ripening.