Protective Effect of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Ripened Foods Against Listeria monocytogenes in Plant-Based Fermented Dry-Cured Sausages

The aim of the study was to use a commonly employed technology in the meat industry, the inoculation of a biocontrol starter, in the processing of a plant-based fermented dry-cured sausage analog to improve its safety against possible <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> contamination. Challenge tests were used to select suitable lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for the analog under industrial production conditions. First, 20 LAB strains were tested in vitro and five of them were further tested by stuffing the ingredients under industrial conditions. The <i>L. monocytogenes</i> counts highlighted <i>Latilactobacillus sakei</i> 205 as the most protective one, achieving a reduction of 2.6 log CFU/g. Further, a triangular test and Check-All-That-Apply test were performed to understand the organoleptic differences that could be expected in the final product. The batch inoculated with <i>Llb. sakei</i> 205 did not show any sensory differences from the commercial batch. Therefore, <i>Llb. sakei</i> 205 was identified as a potential protective starter due to the microbiological and sensory results. This pioneering study applied biocontrol starters to plant-based meat analogs, aligning with clean-label trends.