Proteolysis Analysis and Sensory Evaluation of Fermented Sausages using Strains Isolated from Korean Fermented Foods

We studied the proteolysis and conducted a sensory evaluation of fermented sausages using strains derived from Kimchi [Pediococcus pentosaceus-SMFM2021-GK1 (GK1); P. pentosaceus-SMFM2021-NK3 (NK3)], Doenjang [Debaryomyces hansenii-SMFM2021-D1 (D1)], and spontaneous fermented sausage [Penicillium nalgiovense-SMFM2021-S6 (S6)]. Fermented sausages were classified as commercial starter culture (CST), mixed with GK1, D1, and S6 (GKDS), and mixed with NK3, D1, and S6 (NKDS). The protein content and pH of GKDS and NKDS were significantly higher than those of CST on days 3 and 31, respectively (p<0.05). Sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the NKDS had higher molecular weight proteins than the GKDS and CST. The myofibrillar protein solubility of the GKDS and NKDS was significantly higher than that of the CST on day 31 (p<0.05). The GKDS displayed significantly higher pepsin and trypsin digestion than the NKDS on day 31 (p<0.05). The hardness, chewiness, gumminess, and cohesiveness of the GKDS were not significantly different from those of the CST. The GKDS exhibited the highest values for flavor, tenderness, texture, and overall acceptability. According to this study, sausages fermented using lactic acid bacteria (GK1), yeast (D1), and mold (S6) derived from Korean fermented foods displayed high proteolysis and excellent sensory evaluation results.