Effect of Ultrasonic Pretreatment on Lipid Oxidation and Protein Degradation in Fermented Sausages Inoculated with Mixed Starters
摘要
This study evaluated the synergistic effects of 4-minute ultrasonic (US) pretreatment (135 W) combined with mixed starter cultures (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CD101 and Staphylococcus simulans NJ201) on the quality attributes of dry-fermented sausages. Three control groups were established: CK (uninoculated), CL (inoculated with starter cultures only), and SCL (inoculation + US treatment). Ultrasonic treatment accelerated early lipid oxidation, but by the end of fermentation, the TBA value remained at a safe level and was significantly lower than that of the CK group. Protein degradation was significantly enhanced: Non-protein nitrogen (NPN/TN) in the SCL group reached 15.41%, significantly higher than in the CL group (14.74%) and CK group (13.82%) (P < 0.05). Total free amino acids in the SCL group reached 449.46 mg 100 g⁻¹, 9.4% higher than the CL group (410.67 mg) and 31% higher than the CK group (343.66 mg). SDS-PAGE revealed accelerated degradation of myosin heavy chain and actin in the SCL group, accompanied by increased < 20 kDa peptide fragments. These data indicate that ultrasonic pretreatment promotes proteolysis and flavor precursor formation without compromising oxidative stability, providing an efficient approach to enhance traditional fermented sausage production processes.