Utilization of starters for the standardization of the manufacturing process of Asturian ''chorizo'' sausage
The Asturian chorizo is a pork meat product that undergoes a process of drying and smoking. This product enjoys widespread demand and is highly popular in the region's gastronomy. One of its characteristics is that its production is carried out by small, local companies, following traditional processes, resulting in variations in organoleptic and physicochemical properties among producers and even among batches from the same producer. This study aims to standardize the product by employing starter cultures (lactic acid bacteria) in its production. To observe the results, tests were conducted using two different starter cultures, and the microbiota of the chorizo was analyzed at the production onset, after 3 days of drying, and after 10 days of drying. Based on these results, along with the physicochemical conditions of the resulting product and its organoleptic properties, the appropriate combination of starter cultures was selected to achieve a standardized product with the highest quality conditions.