Influence of mixed starters on the degradation of proteins and the formation of peptides with antioxidant activities in dry fermented sausages

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the influence of mixed starters (Lactobacillus plantarum CD101 and Staphylococcus simulans NJ201) with a high protease activity on the degradation of proteins and the formation of peptides with antioxidant activities during the fermentation and ripening of dry fermented sausages. The starters mainly affected the proteolytic characteristics during the fermentation stage, and their beneficial effects persisted until the end of ripening. Electrophoresis analysis indicated that the starters could more rapidly and severely hydrolyze proteins on days 1 and 4 than on other days. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) value of the peptides extracted from the starter-inoculated group significantly increased (P < 0.05) compared with those from the control group. After 23 days of ripening, the free amino acid (FAA) content also increased significantly (P < 0.05) because of the addition of starters. Thus, mixed starters could help delay oxidative changes in dry fermented sausages.