ABSTRACT
The first commercially available starter culture for meat products was identified as Pediococcus cerevisiae. The initial Pediococcus starter culture for meat products was employed solely for its rapid lactic acid production that would effectively lower the pH of meat. In addition to its lactic acid-producing capability, the strain of pediococci to be employed as a sausage starter culture had to have a minimum salt tolerance of about 5%. The strains of pediococci have been successful as meat starters since they have been readily adapted to meat systems and efficiently produce large quantities of lactic acid. Although the pediococci are utilized primarily for their fermentative ability in meat systems, apparently they also exert inhibitory activity toward undesirable microorganisms. The use of the Pediococcus strains as starter cultures affords a standardized microbial inoculum to each batch regardless of the inherent microflora.
