Effects of plant extracts on biogenic amine accumulation, bacterial abundance and diversity in fermented sausage

Abstract

Biogenic amine (BA) is mostly produced through the decarboxylation of amino acids, the formation of BA (histamine, putrescine, cadaverine, and tyramine) was closely associated with microorganism. This study investigated the effects of tea polyphenol (TP), anise essential oil (AEO), cinnamon essential oil (CEO), and ginger essential oil (GEO) on the accumulation of four BAs and bacterial community in fermented (pork) sausage. Meanwhile, the pH and the residual nitrite content (added as preservative) were evaluated. The results revealed that the accumulation of nitrite and BA were significantly inhibited by TP and plant essential oils (PEO). Pediococcus and Staphylococcus were the dominant bacteria in all fermented sausage. The H2S-producing bacteria, Lactobacillus, Pseudomonas, Serratia, and Clostridium sensu stricto 1 was suppressed by TP and PEO. These results indicated that TP and PEO could improve the safety of fermented sausage by inhibiting spoilage bacterial growth and BA formation, and AEO showed the optimal inhibitory effect.