The impact of Lactobacillus brevis and Pediococcus pentosaceus on the sensorial quality of “nem chua” – a Vietnamese fermented meat product

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of Lactobacillus brevis and Pediococcus pentosaceus strains isolated from “nem chua”, a Vietnamese traditional fermented meat product, on the sensory quality of the product. Three combinations of the two strains (ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 2:1 respectively) with three levels of bacterial concentration (9.0 x 10^5 CFU/ g, 6.0 x 10^6 CFU/ g and 1.2 x 10^7CFU/ g meat paste) were used as bacterial starters for the fermentation process. The choice of the best starter combination was made by using ranking tests with a jury of 120 Vietnamese tasters. The results showed that the combination of L. brevis and P. pentosaceus with the total bacterial amount of 6.0 x 10^6 CFU/ g meat paste and the strains ratio of 1:1 conferred the best sensory quality to the fermented products. These findings facilitate further investigations on using and producing these LAB organisms as commercial starters for “nem chua” in Vietnam industry in order to produce products of well-controlled quality and safety.