Investigation of Microbial Association of Traditionally Fermented Sausages 

Lidija Kozačinski¹*, Eleftherios Drosinos², Faruk Čaklovica³, Luca Cocolin⁴, Judith Gasparik-Reichardt⁵ and Slavica Vesković<sup>6

1</sup>University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Technology of Foodstuffs of Animal Origin, Heinzelova 55, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
²Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, GR-11855 Athens, Greece
³University of Sarajevo, Veterinary Faculty, Zmaja od Bosne 90, BA-71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
⁴University of Udine, Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti, via Marangoni 97, IT-33100 Udine, Italy
⁵Hungarian Meat Research Institute, Gubacsi út 6/b, HU-1097 Budapest, Hungary
⁶Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kacanskoga 13, RS-11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Article history:
Received April 3, 2006
Accepted March 19, 2007

Key words:
autochthonous fermented sausages, microflora

Summary:
The investigation included fermented sausages produced in the countries of west and south-east Europe, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Serbia. The sausages were produced in local meat industries in a traditional way without the use of starter cultures. Samples were collected from three production batches on day 0 and again after 2, 4, 7, 14 and 28 days. Microbiological analyses included the principal ingredients (meat, fat tissue), casings and additives (sugar, mixture of spices, salt), and the finished products. From all three production batches of fermented sausages from each individual country, 150 strains of lactic acid bacteria and 150 strains of coagulase-negative cocci were isolated. Biochemical characteristics of the isolated microorganisms were determined by API system (bioMérieux), i.e. by API 50 CHL and API^® Staph. Identification of all strains was made using the computer program APILAB Plus. From the hygienic standpoint, it is highly important that Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus were not found in the finished product. During all stages of investigation, lactobacilli and staphylococci prevailed.

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