Enhancing Fermented Sausage Quality with Weissella hellenica, Lactobacillus sakei, and Pediococcus pentosaceus

The natural fermentation of sausages often results in inconsistent gel texture and flavor stability. This study introduces a compound fermenter group (Weissella hellenica, Lactobacillus sakei, and Pediococcus pentosaceus) to improve the quality of fermented sausages. The aim was to evaluate its flavor-modulating and quality-preserving effects, addressing the research gap in applying these microbial synergies in fermented meats. Sausages inoculated with the compound fermenter group were compared with control group (naturally fermented) over 90-day frozen storage using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses. The results showed that the compound fermenter group enhanced protein gel network stability (increased hardness and chewiness; reduced moisture loss), enriched the volatile aroma profile, with an 8.7% increase in the variety of flavor compounds and no detected lipid oxidation-derived off-flavor aldehydes (e.g., trans-2-nonenal), and improved oxidative and microbial stability (lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and total volatile basic nitrogen values; total viable counts within safety limits), with consistently higher sensory scores. The compound fermenter group effectively coordinates proteolysis, gelation, and flavor metabolism, offering a promising strategy for producing high-quality fermented meat gels with optimized texture and extended shelf life.