This study compares five types of lamb jerky, namely, CO (without starter culture), PL-4 (with producing putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, and tyramine), BL4-8 (degrading putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, and tyramine), CL4-3 (degrading putrescine and tyramine), and X3-2B (degrading histamine and tyramine). A study was performed to examine the effects of starter culture on the physical–chemical quality, flavor, and biogenic amines (BAs) during fermentation and ripening. At the end of fermentation, the pH value of the BL4-8 group (4.75) was significantly lower than that of other groups (p < 0.05). After high-temperature roasting, the water activity (0.55), water content (22.6%), nitrite residue (0.41 mg/kg), and TBARS value (0.27 mg/100 g) of the X3-2B group were significantly lower than those of other groups (p < 0.05). The findings show that adding starter BL4-8, CL4-3, and X3-2B can increase the variety and content of flavor in the product. The levels of histamine, putrescine, and tyramine were significantly lower in the BL4-8, CL4-3, and X3-2B groups than in CO and PL-4 groups. This study shows that BL4-8, CL4-3, and X3-2B are potential starters for fermented meat products.

In this study, a protective agent was added to prepare a high-activity Lactiplantibacillus plantarum x3-2b bacterial powder as a fermentation agent and explore its effect on the physicochemical quality, biogenic amines, and flavor of fermented lamb jerky. A composite protective agent, composed of 15% skim milk powder and 10% trehalose, was used, and bacterial mud was mixed with the protective agent at a 1:1.2 mass ratio. The resulting freeze-dried bacterial powder achieved a viable count of 5.1 lg CFU/g with a lyophilization survival rate of 87.58%. Scanning electron microscopy revealed enhanced cell coverage by the composite protective agent, maintaining the cell membrane’s integrity. Inoculation with x3-2b bacterial powder increased the pH and the reduction in a_w, enhanced the appearance and texture of fermented lamb jerky, increased the variety and quantity of flavor compounds, and reduced the accumulation of biogenic amines (phenethylamine, histamine, and putrescine). This research provides a theoretical basis for improving and regulating the quality of lamb jerky and establishes a foundation for the development of bacterial powder for the commercial fermentation of meat products.

Traditional meat products are renowned for their distinctive flavor and palatability. Nevertheless, the safety of meat products produced by cottage industries remains a matter of concern, especially regarding the content of biogenic amines (BAs) and overall quality. Currently, limited published data exist on these aspects. This study aimed to assess the levels of BAs and key quality index in 41 traditional meat products sourced from China. The analysis revealed that all samples contained measurable levels of total biogenic amines, with concentrations ranging from 11.76 mg/kg to 1632.24 mg/kg. The nitrite content and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) value of some samples exceeded the standard and normal range. The findings indicate that BAs levels, TBARS values, and nitrite residues of the tested meat products surpassed toxicity thresholds outlined by various regulatory bodies, emphasizing the critical need for enhanced control measures to mitigate biogenic amine content, TBARS, and nitrite residues in meat products.

Traditional air-dried meat from Ordos, Inner Mongolia, is a distinctive fermented meat product with unique ethnic and regional features. However, systematic studies on its quality and flavor variations across production regions remain limited. This study characterized 15 traditional Ordos air-dried meat samples (3 biological replicates per region) from five representative areas (Dalad Banner, Otog Banner, Otog Front Banner, Wushen Banner, Ejin Horo Banner) via physicochemical analysis, high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and GC-MS. Results showed pH 5.63–5.73 and water activity (Aw) 0.61–0.66. Wushen Banner samples had significantly lower TVB-N and TBARS contents. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated, with marked regional divergence at the genus level. Ninety-one volatile compounds were identified, 11 as key odor-active components. This study clarifies regional quality discrepancies and interrelationships among microbiota, flavor, and physicochemical traits, providing a theoretical basis for process optimization and industrial development.

Air-dried mutton is a traditional, culturally significant meat product, yet its spontaneous fermentation is inherently constrained by unstable microbial communities, leading to batch-to-batch quality inconsistency and potential food safety hazards. Elucidating whether composite starter cultures can modulate the microbiota and enhance product quality is therefore critical for standardized industrial processing. Herein, we investigated the effects of a defined starter culture (composed of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus in a 2:1 ratio, with a total inoculum of 10⁸ CFU/g) on the quality and flavor of air-dried mutton, comparing inoculated samples (FJ) with naturally fermented controls (ZR). The fermentation was conducted at 30 °C and 95% relative humidity (RH) for 24 h, followed by air-drying at 4 °C for 21 d, with all assays performed in three biological and three technical replicates. Starter inoculation significantly reduced the pH, water activity (Aw), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values while improving sensory acceptability (p < 0.05). Amplicon sequencing analysis revealed a lactic acid bacteria (LAB)-dominated microbiota in FJ samples, with elevated abundances of Pediococcus and Lactobacillus and reduced abundance of Pseudomonas. The inoculated group also exhibited altered eicosapentaenoic acid content and a more diverse volatile flavor profile, with eight key aroma compounds positively correlating with LAB abundance. These findings demonstrate that composite starter inoculation improves physicochemical quality, stabilizes the microbial community, and enhances flavor in air-dried mutton. Further mechanistic validation and scale-up trials are required to confirm industrial applicability.