CHANGES IN FREE FATTY ACID AND DIACYLGLYCEROL COMPOUNDS IN SHORT-RIPENING DRY-CURED SAUSAGE

ABSTRACT

A study on lipolysis of Southern Italy short-ripened dry-cured sausages manufactured without and with starters was carried out. Samples were submitted to microbiological and chemical analysis during drying and ripening, whereas sensory analysis was performed at the end of the ripening. The starters, addition caused the inhibition of the Enterobacteriaceae. An increase of free fatty acids (FFAs) and diacylglycerols (DAGs) during the ripening was observed. The addition of starter did not affect FFA and DAG release. The DAG profile including 1,2- and 1,3-isomers was analyzed for the first time in dry-cured sausages. Oleic, linoleic and palmitic acids, and 1,2-, 1,3-palmitinolein, 1,2- and 1,3-diolein were the most abundant compounds in FFA and DAG, respectively. A decrease in the concentration of some 1,2-DAG and an increase of 1,3-OO and 1,3-OP species during the process was observed. Finally, the addition of starter cultures slightly influenced the sensory properties of sausages.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

In this work the development and application of an analytical method for the determination of free fatty acids (FFAs) and diacylglycerols (DAGs) in sausages was achieved. DAGs are intermediate products of hydrolysis and also constitute a substrate for hydrolysis reactions leading to FFA release. These latter compounds undergo a series of reactions leading to the formation of low-molecular-weight products responsible for sensory properties of dry-cured sausages. Therefore, the assessment of these lipolysis products is a useful tool for evaluating the ripening process of dry-cured sausages.