Validation Of A HACCP Program For The Production Of Artisan Fermented Dry Cured Pork Products

Abstract

Artisan-style pork salami batter and whole muscles were inoculated with ca. 7.0 log CFU/g of Enterococcus faecium. Salami were fermented to a pH ≤5.3 and aged to a water activity ≤0.91 and whole muscles were aged to a water activity ≤0.91 in accordance with the HACCP plan. Samples were taken at each processing step, and microbiological and physiochemical analysis were performed. End-product testing was performed by third parties. The specific processes applied demonstrated approximately 3 log10 CFU/g reduction in small caliber salami and 5 log10 CFU/g reductions in large caliber salami and whole muscle products. These results demonstrated that the process met the CCPs and validated the HACCP plan. The plan was accepted by FSIS, USDA.