The effect of microencapsulated Lactobacillus rhamnosus and storage period on aroma properties of Turkish dry-fermented sausage (sucuk)

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of microencapsulated Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) for aroma and other quality characteristics of Turkish dry-fermented sausage (sucuk). L. rhamnosus was microencapsulated with an optimal coating material combination and used in sucuk production as a probiotic culture. The samples were stored for a 2-, 4-, and 6-month period. After each storage period, physicochemical, microbiological, aroma, and sensorial properties of sucuk with microencapsulated L. rhamnosus were compared with the control sample (L. plantarum) and sucuk with free L. rhamnosus. At the end of the 6-month storage, the viability of the probiotic cell showed an approximately 1.0 log cfu/g reduction in sucuk with free L. rhamnosus and 0.20 log cfu/g reduction in sucuk with microencapsulated L. rhamnosus. The sucuk aromatic extracts were obtained by a Likens-Nickerson distillation and extraction system and analyzed by GC-MS. A total of 60 aroma compounds, including six aldehydes, nine acids, five alcohols, four esters, three volatile phenols, two sulphur compounds, and 31 terpenes were identified and quantified in the samples. The concentration of total aroma compounds was found to be between 9964.5 and 45135.3 mu g/kg. Except for the 6-month storage treatment, the highest total amounts of aroma compounds were found in sucuk with microencapsulated L. rhamnosus followed by free L. rhamnosus and the control sample. It can be concluded that a novel sucuk production with microencapsulated L. rhamnosus probiotic had better quality in terms of overall aroma properties.