Effect of inoculation of starter on physicochemical properties and texture characteristics of fermented beef jerky

In this paper, a selected starter culture of Staphylococcus xylosus, Pediococcus acidilactici, and Debaryomyces hansenii was used to produce fermented beef jerky. The influence of inoculating compound starter on the basic nutrition composition, physical and chemical properties, and texture characteristics of jerkies were investigated. The study results demonstrated that the addition of compound starter quickly reduced the beef pH (from 6.46 to 4.42) and increased the total free amino acids and free fatty acids contents. The nitrite residues and histamine content in the fermentation group were significantly lower than that in the control group. The gel electrophoresis pattern showed that part of the macromolecular protein in inoculated samples was gradually degraded into small molecule protein, and some bands disappeared. It can be seen that inoculation of starter can improve the quality, safety, and texture characteristics of fermented beef jerky. Practical applications Microbial fermentation is a unique and long-standing way of meat processing and preservation. This study found that the inoculation of compound starters can increase the nutritional value and improve texture, flavor, safety of beef jerky. These results suggest that Staphylococcus xylosus, Pediococcus acidilactici, and Debaryomyces hansenii could be considered as mixed bacterial starters in fermented beef jerky to improve product quality and safety, which provides a theoretical basis for the strain screening and processing of fermented beef products.