Characteristic of low‐salt solid‐state fermentation of Yunnan oil furu with Mucor racemosus: microbiological, biochemical, structural, textural and sensory properties

Summary The effect of reducing salt on the microflora, enzymatic activity and structural, textural and sensory properties of Yunnan oil furu was studied. Oil furu with different salt content, including 11 (control), 9%, 7% and 5%, were prepared. The results showed that lower salt increased fungus and lactic acid bacteria growth, yielding a tastier product. In addition, pathogenic bacterium such as Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella were not detected in Yunnan oil furu during low‐salt solid‐state fermentation, and the Escherichia coli was <3 MPN g −1 . Enzymatic activity decreased slower in low‐salt fermented products, leading to more protein hydrolysis. Consequently, the free amino acids and free fatty acids increased significantly. Reduced salt also improved the structural, textural and sensory properties, such as giving a more consistent structure, better spreadability and a better sensory evaluation.