Nisin retarded <i>L</i> -arginine (or <i>L</i> -lysine)-caused the augmented total volatile basic nitrogen content of Cantonese sausage by inhibiting the activity of amino acid decarboxylase

The study investigated whether the inhibitory effects of nisin on the increase in total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content caused by <i>L</i>-arginine (Arg) or <i>L</i>-lysine (Lys) in Cantonese sausage. Nisin had minimal influence on water activity and pH. However, it significantly reduced the content of non-protein nitrogen from 5.23 (or 5.32) to 4.57 (or 4.53) mg/g, amino acid nitrogen content from 3.41 (or 3.38) to 2.96 (or 2.93) mg/g, TVB-N content from 55.92 (or 48.21) to 36.46 (or 36.14) mg/100 g, and biogenic amines content from 58.69 (or 57.28) to 51.89 (or 47.36) mg/100 g. In contrast, it increased the contents of trichloroacetic acid-soluble peptide from 5.55 (or 4.99) to 6.54 (or 6.40) mg/g during 28 days of storage in Cantonese sausages containing Arg (or Lys). In these two sausage samples, nisin also decreased the total bacterial count from 6.13 (or 6.10) to 5.31 (or 5.36) (lg (CFU/g)), the count of lactic acid bacteria from 6.08 (or 6.09) to 5.24 (or 5.13) (lg (CFU/g)), and the activity of amino acid decarboxylase from 0.63 (or 0.65) to 0.57 (or 0.60) U/g. Lactic acid bacteria were predominant in all the sausage samples. Thus, nisin effectively suppressed the Arg- or Lys-induced increase in TVB-N content by inhibiting the growth of lactic acid bacteria, which secrete amino acid decarboxylase. The results provide technical support for using Arg or Lys for producing low-sodium and low-phosphorus Cantonese sausages.