Evaluation of High Pressure Processing as an Additional Hurdle to Control Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica in Low‐Acid Fermented Sausages

Low‐acid fermented sausages (fuet and chorizo) were manufactured to evaluate the combined effect of high pressure processing (HPP) and ripening on foodborne pathogens. Raw sausages inoculated with a three‐strain cocktail of Salmonella ser. Derby, London, and Schwarzengrund, and a three‐strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes ser. 1/2 c and 4b were pressurized at 300 MPa for 10 min at 17 °C. Afterwards, sausages were ripened at 12 °C and 80% RH for 27 d. Salmonella counts decreased in all studied sausages during ripening. However, the application of HPP as an additional hurdle to the ripening process produced a greater decrease in the Salmonella population, showing lower counts (3 MPN/g) in ripened sausages. By contrast, lower values of L. monocytogenes counts were obtained in non‐treated (NT) than in pressurized sausages due to the delay of pH drop caused by HPP inactivation of endogenous lactic acid bacteria. After pressurization of raw sausages at 300 MPa, a discoloration of sausages was observed, coinciding with an increase in L * values.