Effect of fat and salt reduction on the sensory quality of slow fermented sausages inoculated with Debaryomyces hansenii yeast

- Fat and salt reduction affected the chemical and microbial parameters.
- Debaryomyces hansenii compensated partially the effects produced by fat and salt reduction.
- D. hansenii inoculation improved the aroma and taste quality.
- Different preference patterns of consumers were found.

The inoculation of a Debaryomyces hansenii strain in dry fermented sausages with reduced fat and salt contents was evaluated in terms of chemical, microbial and consumer acceptability. The implantation of the inoculated yeast strain was confirmed by RAPDs of M13 minisatellite. A reduction of 17-20% salt and 10-16% fat content was achieved. These reductions affected the sausage quality by producing an increase in aw, hardness and chewiness values and a decrease of staphylococci growth. However, D. hansenii inoculation compensated these changes although it was not able to modify neither the hardness of reduced fat batches nor the staphylococci growth decrease. In terms of sensory acceptability, different preferences patterns of consumers were found. Yeast inoculation improved the aroma and taste quality when fat or salt reductions were carried out in dry fermented sausages.