The effect of natural or artificial casing on the ripening and sensory quality of a mould‐covered dry sausage

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Abstract
Summary: Experiments were performed in which the same ingredients were stuffed in either natural pork casing or in an artificial collagen casing. A small‐diameter coarse and mouldy salami, known as ‘fuet’, was tested.Ripening parameters showed few differences; water content, non‐protein nitrogen, free fatty acids and superficial mould counts were similar, while pH was clearly higher after the fifth day in natural casing, and counts of yeasts were larger in the artificial one. Microscopic observation of cross‐sections has shown a greater colonization of natural casing tissue by moulds. Sensory quality scores for natural casing salami were higher in almost all attributes except for ease of skin peeling. Differences were especially evident in aroma‐related ratings and in overall acceptability. It was concluded that a higher pH due to a deeper and larger colonization of skin tissue by moulds could be responsible for the superior sensory quality of sausages stuffed in natural casing.