Raw sausages are typically consumed raw and can be stored without cooling. That is why the microbial stability of raw sausages is particularly important. Their stability mainly depends on the quality of the raw material, the ingredients and the additives.

The quality of raw sausages mainly depends on the raw material and the ingredients used as well as on an optimal control of the processing parameters. The ripening process after filling of the sausage meat in casings has a major impact on the quality of the final product. A number of different microbial, chemical and physical processes trigger a change in the pH value, dehydrate the sausage meat and produce the red colour, aroma and texture of the sausage. There are several types of additives and ingredients that fulfil important functions during the maturation process.

Starter cultures
Microbial stability is critical during production of raw sausages. The microorgansims grow spontaneously during ripening but this growth does not guarantee for stable ripening processes. The number of undesired microorganisms should be kept as low as possible. Therefore starter cultures are specifically adjusted to a particular product. They are offered as pure and mixed cultures and contribute to the development of ideal aW and pH values.
With Nitrostart Hagesüd offers freeze-dried and dispersible starter cultures that are especially adjusted to a particular application and to the seasonig mix. Stable and uniform product quality is guaranteed by a safe production process, expression of taste, variety-typical aromatic flavour and optimum pH value control. Nitrostart G consists of selected, freeze-dried, multistrain cultures especially suitable for processing rawsausages. Nitrostart 2000 is suitable for the production of raw-sausage specialities that are ready to be sold after 10 to 15 days. Nitrostart S is used fort he production of raw-sausages without GdL that are consumable after three to four weeks.
Gewürzmüller offers starter cultures which gently reduce the pH value and ensure the formation of a clear fermentation flavour. Both the species of microorganism cultures and the special mixing ratio thereby assure a uniform maturation process and make a contribution to providing consistently high quality with and guarantee maximum product safety. The starter culture Bitec Advance RD-1 an active culture which reduces the pH value within just 24 hours. Despite the quick maturing, the taste remains mildly acidic and the fermentation flavour is clearly distinctive.

Combis
As startet-cultures can only work efficiently if the microorgansims are properly adjusted to the raw-material, the ingredients and the spice mixes as well as the sausage casings, most companies offer combi-preparations to ensure a uniform maturing process.
Wiberg for example has developed a new raw-sausage scheme that is intended to help customers choose the right combination of flavour-ing and functional products for the production of raw sausages. This scheme provides all relevant information at a glance about flavouring and functional ingredients for the production of soft and sliceable raw sausages - from traditional long cured sausages to fast cured sausages. The individual meat processor knows his requirements and the model provides the most suitable cur-ing agent, seasoning mix and starter cultures. The combi-products, sausage casings and maturing agents proposed by the raw-sausage scheme are optimally balanced. The centre-piece of the raw sausage scheme are six maturing diagrams that give an overview of the decisive parameters of a particular production process.
RRM Rapido Basic, a ma-turing agent for raw sausages together with basic seasoning and red colouring for salami, is a product offered by Lay. The taste of pepper and a slight hint of garlic is ideal for products such as Iberic Salami, hot smoked raw sausage, krakauer and tea sausage.
Mogunita-Werke also offers preparations with seasoning and all the functional ingredients for traditional and controlled fast maturing of raw sausages. For maturing with nitric acid (NaNo3) the company provides Salreif®, the natural maturing agent based on nitrite Bessavit® and for accelerated maturing Fixreif®. Together with the adequate starter-cultures Redstart®, Bessastart® and Fixstart® raw sausage production is made simple.
Apart from traditional seasonings for salami, Cervelat or several types of tea saus-ages the company also offers specialities such as Chorizo, Pfefferbogen and Parmanello as standard agents for sliceable raw sausages. For the production of spreadable raw sausages Bessavit® CT tea sausage and MettLING®add flavour to raw sausages. Small sausages can be flavoured with Bessavit® CT PfefferLING®.

Functional additives
In order to influence the functional characteristics of raw sausages many prod-ucers use additives such as proteins, carbohydrates and fibres. These additives have an impact on water binding properties, pH value, drying properties as well as texture and taste of the sausages. A further effect desired is the chance to reduce the amount of fat used for the production of sausages.
With Amaranth Dietary Fibre Combi Raps launches a prebiotic dietary fibre of one of the oldest known type of cereal Amaranth. High in protein and minerals and without gluten it opens up possibilities to enrich sausages with the prebiotic dietary fibre oligofructose. Moreover, from the technological point of view the emulsifying characteristics can be used to replace emulsifiers. Furthermore, the small seeds also act as a gelling or thickening agent so that this natural product can wholly or partially replace materials commonly used in the past such as hydrocolloids, alginates, pectins, carrageen, starches etc. Collapro by Hulhof is a pure, native collagen fibre made from connective tissue of beef and can be used in all ground and formed meat products. Collapro Bovine Standard is mainly used in sausage products such as salami. Standard helps to improve the structure of the sausage and increases the binding capacity regarding water and fat.
The prebiotic fibre Inulin from Beneo-Orafti can be used for the production of fat-reduced meat and sausage products. Orafti® Inulin is a white, odourless, soluble powder with a slightly sweet taste and no aftertaste. The property of inulin to substitute fat is based on the formation of a particle gel with water under shear force. The resulting products have a reduced fat-content but provide the desired mouthfeel and taste. Inulin improves the structure of the final product, without changing the usual processing parameters during production. In the production of fat reduced raw sausages Inulin leads to a fast reduction of the aW value during maturing. Therefore the microbial stability of fat reduced saus-ages is ensured. Finally Inulin is also suitable for canned sausages or cooked ham.
Enzymes are proteins that work as catalyst for certain effects that are desired during sausage production (e.g. water binding capacity). In this are Ajinomoto offers its product range Activa. By adding Activa® WM raw sausage can be quickly produced in uniform quality. The firmness of the product is ensured in all areas of the sausage. This quickly leads to the stability required for industrial slicing.

Casings
Casings that are suitable for the production of raw sausage have to be diffus-ible, i.e. permeable to vapour and oxygen, in order to guarantee for optimum curing. Both natural as well as artificial casings fulfil these requirements.
Gridmaster® spice W from Moguntia-Werke is a seasoned casing for the production of raw sausages. The
coated linen casing provides the basis for the production of several types of coated raw sausages. The diffusible casing ensures uniform drying and evenly transfers the spices on the surface of the sausage. The seam of the casing serves as an opening aid. Gridmaster® spice W is offered in calibres 60/40 and 80/40 and flavoured with spices, pepper and paprika. Moguntia also offers tailor-made sizes for the production of sliceware
The artificial casing NaloFerm Kranz offered by Kalle has good smoke and water permeability and is suitable for the production of dryed and fermented sausage products in a round shape. The casing is used for smoked and air-dryed, sliceable raw sausages as well as summer sausage. NaloFerm Kranz is an artificial casing made of polyamide and copolymer which is permeable for smoke. This material allows a rapid drying process. Furthermore, NaloFerm Kranz has good peeling and shrink capacities during the drying process. For a matt appear-ance of the sausage Kalle
offers NaloLine.
Hardly any other process in sausage production is dependent on so many parameters as the production of raw sausages. Their production has high demands concerning raw material, ingredients and the curing process. The microbial stability and thus the quality of the final product can largely be guaranteed by modern starter cultures and additives. This gives the producers further scope in the development of innovative raw sausage products. ast

 

Quelle: Fleischerei Technik