Enhancement of the flavour development of dry fermented sausages by using a protease (Pronase E) and a cell-free extract of Penicillium camemberti

The present work was an attempt to improve the organoleptic properties of dry fermented sausages by enhancing the release of amino acids and their further transformation into ammonia, ketoacids and some volatile compounds responsible for the ripened flavour. For this purpose a protease (Pronase E from Streptomyces griseus) and a cell-free extract (CFE) of a Penicillium camemberti strain selected for its L-amino-oxidase activity were used. The addition of Pronase E alone led to a large increase in the content of free amino acids. The CFE showed deaminative activity, which gave rise to the accumulation of some important volatile compounds such as 2-methyipropanal and 2- and 3-methylbutanal. Organoleptic analysis reflected an improvement in the quality of the sausages, especially when the two treatments were combined. (C) 2002 Society of Chemical Industry.