BACTERIAL ROLE IN FLAVOR DEVELOPMENT

The role of bacteria in the production of non volatile and volatile co mpounds involved in the fermented meat flavour is discussed. Lactic ac id bacteria produce D-lactic and acetic acids which may give a sour no te. By reducing the pH, they also modulate the other biochemical bacte rial activities. In muscle tissue proteins are degraded into peptides and lipids into fatty acids mainly by endogenous enzymes. In fermented meat products with a high pH lipases from very lipolytic species of S taphylococcus could increase lipolysis. Bacteria could also play a rol e in the production and degradation of free amino acids. Staphylococcu s and to a lesser extent, lactic acid bacteria could participate in th e production of methyl-branched aldehydes and their corresponding alco hols and acids from branched-chain amino acids. By their nitrate reduc tase and catalase Staphylococcus species limit fatty acid oxidation an d aldehyde production. Staphylococcus could contribute to the ester co ntent as they can produce or hydrolyse esters in vitro. (C) 1998 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.