In order to improving the food safety of Chinese fermented sausages, Lactobacillus sakei as starter cultures
was inoculated into sausages and effects on qualities of sausages were studied. The results clearly
demonstrated that due to L. sakei inoculation, lactic acid bacteria rapidly dominated the total of
microflora and the growth of food-borne pathogens, such as Escherichia coli and Enterobacteriaceae, was
completely inhibited during sausages fermentation. The pH of sausages fermented by L. sakei significantly
decreased from6.31 at to 4.52, whereas that of spontaneous fermentation dropped from 6.41 to
5.42. Furthermore, the nitrite content of sausages fermented by L. sakei dropped rapidly from 100 ppm to
9.6 ppm. Accordingly, for spontaneous fermentation, the nitrite content dropped slowly from 100 ppm to
32.1 ppm. After sensory evaluation, sausages fermented by L. sakei was more likely accepted and enjoyed
by consumers. L. sakei inoculation was beneficial for microbiological quality against the growth of foodborne
pathogens and contributed to nitrite depletion as well as to improving sensorial characteristics.