title: High-throughput assessment of bacterial ecology in hog, cow and ovine casings used in sausages production.
abstract: Natural casings derived from different intestine portions have been used for centuries in the production of fresh and dry-fermented sausages. Here we analysed by means of culture-dependent methods and Illumina high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons the bacterial ecology of hog, cow and ovine casings at different stages of their preparation for sausages production. Several strains of Staphylococcus, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Vagococcus and Clostridium were counted, isolated and characterised at phylogenetic level. High-throughput sequencing analyses revealed a high bacterial diversity, which differed strongly between casings of different animal species. The technological processes involved in the preparation for casing had also a strong impact on the casings bacterial ecology, with a significant reduction of undesired microorganisms, and an increase in the proportion of lactobacilli and staphylococci. Natural casings were demonstrated to be complex ecological environments, whose role as microbiological inoculants in the production of sausages should not be underestimated.
authors.affiliation: Centro Ricerche Biotecnologiche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Milano 24,26100 Cremona, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rebecchi
authors.affiliation: Centro Ricerche Biotecnologiche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Milano 24,26100 Cremona, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pisacane
authors.affiliation: Centro Ricerche Biotecnologiche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Milano 24,26100 Cremona, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miragoli
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Microbiologia, Facoltà di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Polka
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Microbiologia, Facoltà di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Falasconi
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Microbiologia, Facoltà di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morelli
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Microbiologia, Facoltà di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy. Electronic address: edoardo.puglisi@unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Puglisi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012756:Sheep / Q000235:genetics; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: Animal intestines; Bacterial biodiversity; Illumina; Natural casings