Effects of Eubacterium coprostanoligenes and Lactobacillus on pH, lipid content, and cholesterol of fermented pork and mutton sausage-type mixes

Pork and mutton sausage-type mixes produced using Eubacterium coprostanolig enes with or without Lactobacillus as starter culture showed changes in pH, cholesterol and lipid content. Viability of E. coprostanoligenes was asses sed by culturing samples from each treatment and analyzing for coprostanol, a cholesterol metabolite. The pH and/or cholesterol decreased (P < 0.05) i n the sausage-type mixes inoculated with E. coprostanoligenes or Lactobacil lus or their combinations. Variability in lipid content was observed among and within treatments. Very low (6.2 mu g/g dry matter) concentrations of c oprostanol were produced in sausage-mixes and cultures except when inoculat ed with 2.0 g of E. coprostanoligenes (from 8.2 to 130.6 mu g/g dry matter) .