Study on protein hydrolysis and microbial community changes during the fermentation of pork loin ham mediated by electrical stimulation

This study explored the effect of electrical stimulation (ES) and Pediococcus pentosaceus LL-07 (P. pentosaceus LL-07) and Staphylococcus simulans QB7 (S. simulans QB7) on the quality and microbial community of loin ham during the ripening. After the ES and starter culture treatments, the Aw and pH were decreased. Surface hydrophobicity, myogenic fiber fragmentation index (MFI), TCA-soluble peptide, amino nitrogen and free amino acids (FAAs) were also significantly higher than the control group (CK) (P < 0.05). This increase was more significant in the E-S group (electrical stimulation followed by inoculation with P. pentosaceus LL-07 and S. simulans QB7) than the rest of the experimental group (E、S、S-E group). Furthermore, the CK and E-S groups were subjected to a bacterial community comparison experiment. The microbial diversity of these two groups was increased. Pediococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. became the dominant bacteria in E-S groups during the ripening. Correlation analyses show a strong correlation between protein hydrolysis, microorganisms and FAAs. In conclusion, the combination of ES and starter culture could promote protein hydrolysis, the accumulation of FAAS, and improves the bacterial community of loin ham.