POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGICAL INTEREST OF A MUCOR STRAIN TO BE USED IN DRY FERMENTED SAUSAGE PRODUCTION

The effect of several parameters on the proteolytic activity of a non- toxigenic Mucor strain previously isolated from Spanish dry fermented sausages was studied. For this, pH and NaCl concentration of a culture medium and temperature and incubation time were modified to reach val ues near to those used for ripening of dry fermented sausages. The opt imum conditions for the development of proteolytic activity were a NaC l concentration of 30 g litre(-1), pH of 5.5 and a temperature of 18 d egrees C. The results, however, obtained at 14 degrees C (temperature of the final phase of ripening), indicated that the strain studied wou ld be able to produce proteases at this temperature and, therefore, co ntribute to the proteolytic phenomena occurring during ripening of dry fermented sausages and to the development of the flavour and the odou r characteristics of these products.