Volatile compounds in "soppressata molisana" style salami fermented by Lactobacillus sakei

The impact of a Lactobacillus sakei strain on the sensory characteristics o f "soppressata molisana", a typical Southern Italian dry sausage, was inves tigated. The strain, previously isolated from sausage produced by tradition al means, was selected for its high acidifying ability. The volatiles were extracted using the Lickens-Nickerson apparatus immediately after filling, at the end of ripening and after 3 months of storage in pork fat and then a nalysed by GC/MS. The gas chromatographic profiles showed the influence of the starter culture on the volatile fraction. Some nitrogen and sulphur com pounds were found only during storage of the inoculated samples. The result s suggest that the use of an appropriate starter culture can influence the aroma characteristics and the microbiological quality of such typical ferme nted meats.