Debaryomyces hansenii Strains from Traditional Chinese Dry-Cured Ham as Good Aroma Enhancers in Fermented Sausage

In some countries, yeasts are still not allowed in the production of commercially fermented sausages. Therefore, further research is needed on producing fermented meat products using different strains of yeasts. In this study, two strains of Debaryomyces hansenii (D. hansenii Y61 and Y67) were inoculated in fermented sausages to study their effects as starter cultures. The inoculation of D. hansenii strains affected ripening by decreasing the pH and aw. The sausages inoculated with Y61 and Y67 exhibited decreases in lipid oxidation of 40.70% and 36.04%, respectively, and Enterobacteriaceae counts of 50% and 100%, respectively. The inoculating yeasts Y61 and Y67 increased the lightness (L*) and redness (a*) of fermented sausages. The D. hansenii-inoculated sausages had higher levels of free amino acids and fatty acids, which improved the digestibility, sensory value, and safety of these sausages. Moreover, the total amount of ester compounds increased by 87.14% and 83.31% in the Y61- and Y67-inoculated groups, respectively, which contributed to the aroma. Better sensory attributes were also found in the sausages inoculated with Y61 and Y67 D. hansenii. Native D. hansenii Y61 and Y67 are, therefore, good starter cultures for fermented sausage production. Together, the results provide data supporting future research and the use of yeast-fermented sausages.