Dry-fermented sausages inoculated with Enterococcus faecium CECT 410 as free cells or in alginate beads

This study evaluated the effects of E. faecium CECT 410 inoculation, either as free cells (CFC) or in alginate beads (CALG), on the ripening and storage of dry-fermented sausages. Both formulations presented acceptable weight losses during ripening. In both the CFC and CALG treatments, pH values were lower (P < 0.05) at the end of the ripening and storage stages. Dry-fermented sausages with the incorporation of probiotics via alginate beads had higher (P < 0.05) protein and fat, but lower (P < 0.05) moisture content. The addition of E. faecium CECT 410 did not affect lipid oxidation in dry-fermented sausages. Counts of E. faecium CECT 410 were higher than 7 log CFU g−1 during the ripening and storage periods, except in the control (CC), in which it was not detected as a natural microbiota. Altogether, the addition of E. faecium CECT 410, both as free cells (CFC) and in alginate beads (CALG), was effective at producing probiotic dry-fermented sausages.