The aim of this work is to evaluate the effect of taxifolin on the physicochemical and microbiological properties of cold-smoked pork sausages produced using different commercial starter cultures with Leuconostoc carnosum and with a mixture of Pediococcus pentosaceus and Staphylococcus xylosus. Ultra performance liquid chromatography analysis demonstrated that after 181 days of storage total taxifolin content was the highest in samples with taxifolin and L. carnosum (60 %), compared to the first day of storage. The sausages with taxifolin and the mixture of P. pentosaceus and S. xylosus (56 %) followed next. Taxifolin improved the hygienic quality of sausages without significant effect on the growth of lactic acid bacteria. The accumulation of biogenic amines, including histamine and putrescine, was more effectively reduced in sausages inoculated with the taxifolin and P. pentosaceus and S. xylosus mixture. Using this mixture, the rate of lipolysis and lipid oxidation were effectively slowed down. Samples with taxifolin and L. carnosum showed the highest free radical scavenging activity on the first day of the study ((77.4±1.3) %) (p<0.05 in all samples). Mixtures containing taxifolin and starter cultures bound free radicals better than taxifolin alone. The colour parameters (L*, a* and b*) of preparations and final products were significantly influenced by taxifolin and starter cultures and storage time (p<0.05 in all samples).

In this paper, anolyte is considered as a possible disinfectant for inhibiting the growth of bacteria in meat (beef cuts and minced pork). Meat cuts were contaminated with two concentrations of L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium, as these are the most common meat pathogens that are closely regulated by the EU, and treated with two different concentrations of anolyte: 20% for beef cuts and 18% for minced pork. Then, the total viable count (TVC), L. monocytogenes count and S. Typhimurium count were determined. In meat cuts and minced pork, anolyte was able to reduce TVC, S. Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes counts effectively, significantly decreasing L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium counts after spraying and throughout 29 days of incubation at 0–4 °C. TVC was reduced after spraying and for 10 days of incubation but later increased to be the same as before spraying with anolyte. Anolyte was effective when spraying beef cuts with a 20% solution for 60 s against pathogenic bacteria L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. and also when using it at a concentration of 18% from the minced meat mass. Initially, anolyte significantly decreased TVC, however during the storage period (10–29 days) TVC increased but remained significantly lower compared to control. Anolyte was effective in reducing L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium counts throughout the study, and after 29 days of incubation, these bacteria could not be detected in the samples treated with anolyte.

The results show that seven types of N-nitrosamines: N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-Nitrosopiperidine (NPIP), N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR), N-nitrosodipropylamine (NDPA), N-nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA) and N-nitrosodiphenylamine (NDphA) were reduced after heat treatment of pork steaks marinated with L. plantarum MI-LP1, S. carnosus LM-SC1, S. vitulinus LM-SV1. Selected LAB suppressed the formation of putrescine and spermine, lowered acid and peroxide values, which were significantly lower than in the control samples, then P≤0.05 in all cases. The nitrites and nitrates amounts were significantly decreased in pork steaks samples marinated with L. plantarum MI-LP1 and S. carnosus MI-SV1 strains. These results presented that selected lactic acid bacteria could be used for marinating pork steaks to improve quality characteristics and reduce N-nitrosamine formation during grilling.