Survival of Listeria innocua in dry fermented sausages and changes in the typical microbiota and volatile profile as affected by the concentration of nitrate and nitrite

► The reduction of nitrate/nitrite concentration in dry fermented sausages was tested. ► Reducing nitrate/nitrite increases listeriae numbers in the final product. ► Gram + catalase + cocci counts are higher in reduced nitrate/nitrite sausages. ► Gram + catalase + cocci are related to carbohydrate and amino acid derived volatiles. ► Enterobacteriaceae reach detectable levels in reduced nitrate/nitrite sausages.