New Starter Culture for Fermented Sausages -- Flavor of Italy

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StefanS
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Re: New Starter Culture for Fermented Sausages -- Flavor of Italy

Post by StefanS » Tue Apr 07, 2020 21:58

Lonster wrote:
Mon Apr 06, 2020 23:21
most of the recipes on this website use Sucrose in addition to the dextrose.
using of sucrose as addition to dextrose is some kind of slowing down and extending of acidification process. Sucrose needs to be broken down to dextrose and fructose then can be used by LAB. Purpose of that is giving of time for Staphyloccocus strains to better work in developing color, aroma.
Lonster wrote:
Mon Apr 06, 2020 23:21
if the starter culture only eats the Dextrose
it is mean that that strain isn't able to produce enzyme "invertase/sucrase" to brake acidal oxygen bond between glucose and fructose. But..... adition of dextrose to mix help to produce some lactic acid with one helps in process called hydrolysis broke that bond and then both monosaccharides (glucose and fructose) can be used in acidification.
Lonster wrote:
Mon Apr 06, 2020 23:21
sweeten the salami.
yes you can sweeten the salami - when you sprinkle slices of it with sugar...
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Re: New Starter Culture for Fermented Sausages -- Flavor of Italy

Post by Lonster » Mon Apr 27, 2020 16:45

Finally got around to making a batch. Used .4% dextrose and .025% starter culture which turned out to be 1/4 tsp for 10 lbs. Fermented at 75 degF and 90% RH. Started drying after achieving pH5.0 in 36 hours. Will keep you posted after their done on the results. made 10 lbs Finocchiona with some added dried orange peel, Spanish Chorizo and Pepperoni.
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Re: New Starter Culture for Fermented Sausages -- Flavor of Italy

Post by cajuneric » Fri Jun 05, 2020 17:48

Just though I would chime in on this one as I've been using this starter culture for about a year now. Adding .1 - .2% dextrose and fermenting at 75F - 79F will get you to a pH of 5.0 very fast. Especially if you use the recommended dose of 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of mince. I generally use 1/4 - 1/2 tsp per 10 pounds of mince and it slows the process down a bit If you add wine this will add to the fermentable sugars in the recipe. Add sucrose only if you want to add sweetness or balance the salt. Sucrose doesn't ferment well with this salami. I have lots of videos online using Flavor of Italy as the starter culture and the end results if anyone wants to check them out here are just a few:

Salami di Fileto: https://youtu.be/7xi5aS3QX3M
60 day Dry Aged Wagyu/Duck/Iberico pork salami: https://youtu.be/fA5lA-hXRJo
Nduja: https://youtu.be/49ypnKGt7hQ
Landjager: https://youtu.be/KZ8ckUcJCyU

BTW... Bob K. I finally got around to making the salami "Filetto baciato di ponzone" Talk about a crazy experience!! It's the first video I linked :)

Anyway. This starter is incredible. It is super fast (even at low temps) so be warned. Other than that the flavor is incredible very consistent. just my .02 cents
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Re: New Starter Culture for Fermented Sausages -- Flavor of Italy

Post by Lonster » Mon Jun 08, 2020 01:56

I will add my 2 cents giving us 4 cents. I used 2.5% dextrose and 69 degree ferment to a pH of 4.9 in 36 hours. Next batch I will dial the dextrose back a bit. I will second Eric. Really good flavor. It is now my #1 starter culture.
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Re: New Starter Culture for Fermented Sausages -- Flavor of Italy

Post by smokeychris » Wed Sep 22, 2021 20:48

Hi Guys,
Hope you are all well and can help me a bit.
I'm fairly new to salami making and recently used flavour of Italy in a venison+pork salami with .2% dextrose .2% sugar, fermenting 76-79F with 90%+ RH but after 48hrs the pH is 5.47.... I'm a bit stuck and hope someone can light it up whether I should be more worried or not yet.
Many thanks in advance 😊
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Re: New Starter Culture for Fermented Sausages -- Flavor of Italy

Post by redzed » Sat Sep 25, 2021 15:15

Hi Chris, welcome to the forum. Sorry for the late reply, and I hope you can give us an update as to whether the pH dropped any further. Flavour of Italy is an aggressive bacteria formulation and with the high fermentation temp and the amount of sugars you added, it should have dropped very quickly. Can you describe your process, type of meat, ingredients and other additions, grind, type and diameter of casing starting pH, etc. Also take a look at the Bactoferm Meat Manual Vol.1, especially the troubleshooting guide on p.38.
https://hjemmeriet.com/da/ChrHansen/Bro ... ual_UK.pdf
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Re: New Starter Culture for Fermented Sausages -- Flavor of Italy

Post by cajuneric » Sun Sep 26, 2021 14:10

Hi Smokeychris,

Very strange. Flavor of Italy (in my experience) has been an incredibly predictable starter culture. When using .2% dextrose I have found that 100% of the time it get's to 4.9ph between 18-24 hours at 76-79f. Would you mind sharing a few details about the starter culture itself. Like what's the expiration date, has it been kept in the freezer during storage, did you allow the culture to "wake up" for at least 30 minutes prior to using. Also, how are you testing the ph of your meat? pH strips, ph meter, etc.. If using a ph meter what brand is it and was it calibrated prior to using?

Aside from the ph reading you will know that flavor of Italy has properly fermented your meat when the meat's color has been magnified (towards the reddish look), the smell will have a slightly acidic fermented smell (hard to spot if you are not familiar with the smell), the meat sample will have firmed up quite a bit. It will no longer resemble the soft ground meat that you started with, it will seem like a firm rubbery mass, and if you pull it apart it will "tear" in strands. These are the visible signs of sausage meat that's fermented to below 5.2ph
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Re: New Starter Culture for Fermented Sausages -- Flavor of Italy

Post by Indaswamp » Thu Sep 30, 2021 01:55

smokeychris wrote:
Wed Sep 22, 2021 20:48
.2% sugar
What type of sugar? Sucrose or Dextrose? Flavor of Italy culture prefer dextrose.
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