Screening of Debaryomyces hansenii Strains for Flavor Production under a Reduced Concentration of Nitrifying Preservatives Used in Meat Products

A total
of 15 Debaryomyces hansenii strains
from different food origins were genetically characterized and tested
on a culture medium resembling the composition of fermented sausages
but different concentrations of nitrifying preservatives. Genetic
typing of the D. hansenii strains revealed
two levels of discrimination: isolation source or strain specific.
Different abilities to proliferate on culture media containing different
concentrations of nitrate and nitrite, as sole nitrogen sources and
in the presence of amino acids, were observed within D. hansenii strains. Overall metabolism of amino
acids and generation of aroma compounds were related to the strain
origin of isolation. The best producers of branched aldehydes and
ethyl ester compounds were strains isolated from pork sausages. Strains
from cheese and llama sausages were good producers of ester compounds
and branched alcohols, while vegetable strains produced mainly acid
compounds. Nitrate and nitrite reduction affected in different ways
the production of volatiles by D. hansenii.