Shelf-life and safety characteristics of Italian Toscana traditional fresh sausage (Salsiccia) combining two commercial ready-to-use additives and spices

The main objective of this paper was to evaluate the efficacy, in terms of safety, shelf life extension and keeping quality of different commercial ingredients, including nitrite/nitrate and spices, of fresh Italian Toscana traditional sausages. In particular, the role of spices, in the possible reduction or replacement of nitrate and nitrite, was investigated. The data evidenced the significant role of the spices on the growth reduction of deliberately inoculated Listeria monocytogenes,. The Principal Component Analyses of the microbial metabolite and sausage flavours suggested that the microbial activity was affected more by spices than by nitrite and nitrate extent.