Effects of Starter Cultures on the Properties of Meat Products: A Review

Given that competitive microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are considered as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) they must not adversely affect the organoleptic properties of food products. Lactic acid bacteria have been extensively studied and are usually used commercially as biopreservatives to decrease the population of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria in meat and meat products throughout different mechanisms including depletion of nutrients, creation of acidic environment or production of antimicrobial metabolites such as bacteriocins, reuterin and hydrogen peroxide. Additionally, several types of starter cultures are added to traditional meat products that can have interactions with pathogens and probiotics. These bacteria may develop texture, color and flavoring properties, produce buffering components, prevent lipid oxidation, restrict formation of biogenic amines and cause protein changes or even accelerate polychlorinated biphenyls degradation. In this review article after a brief introduction to the subject different types of starter culture and their modes of action are explained. Moreover, application of starter cultures with other hurdles in meat industry as well as their safety and toxicity aspects from different microbial and chemical points of view is comprehensively evaluated.