Biotechnology - opening up new potential with new starter cultures
The use of starter cultures for the production of fermented meat products is fully established in the meat processing industry. It contributes significantly to the standardization of the manufacturing process, especially with regard to the microbiological safety and sensory quality of the products. Due to the increasing saturation of the market for starter cultures and the constant development of new meat products, new cultures are being researched intensively worldwide. New so-called functional starter cultures offer additional functionality compared to the classic cultures. This serves to optimize the fermentation process and to produce more sensory, safer and healthier products.
The DIL is also active in this research area with its biotechnology research platform. For example, improved sensory quality can be achieved in fermented meat products by using new Staphylococcus strains with special metabolic pathways for aroma and flavor formation. Here, the potential of the meat's own enzyme activities is taken into account and combined with the activities of the new strains.
Increased process and product safety can be achieved through the use of bacteriocin-forming strains. Such cultures are already on the market, but have specific limitations in their application, which need to be overcome through targeted research and development activities.
The use of new strains in starter cultures can also significantly reduce the potential of cultures to form biogenic amines, resulting in new cultures that then have health-promoting functionality. In addition, intensive research is being carried out at the DIL into accelerating the ripening of raw sausages, which can be achieved, for example, by stress conditioning of starter cultures. In addition to rapid acidification, the focus is also on aroma and flavor development.
Another area of research is the development of so-called protective cultures for meat products. Strategies are being pursued that are based on bacteriocin-forming lactic acid bacteria in cooked ham or boiled sausages and on the displacement principle with staphylococci in raw ham. In this way, the risks caused by pathogenic or toxigenic microorganisms can be greatly reduced.
The aim of the research and development activities mentioned is the optimization of starter and protective cultures for the production of meat products through the use of new strains of bacterial species. The DIL has worked intensively on the development of modern, genetic methods (PCR or DNA microarray techniques) for rapid and comprehensive screening for undesirable properties in fermentation organisms (e.g. staphylococci) and also has extensive expertise in the field of safety assessment of organisms in meat cultures.
Contact at the DIL:
dr Christian Hertel
Head of Research Platform Biotechnology
German Institute of Food Technologies
Prof. von Klitzing Str. 7
49610 Quakenbrück
Phone: +49 (0) 54 31.183 - 149
Fax: +49 (0)54 31.183 – 114
eMail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots To display JavaScript must be turned on!
Source: Quakenbrück [DIL]
