Page 30 - Meat & Poultry Edition 2026_No.87

amines, which can be produced by certain microbial strains; products. In Thailand, Naem, Isan fermented sausage, and
for example, tyrosine is converted to tyramine and histidine other regionally fermented meat products may serve as sources
is converted to histamine. Tyramine is one of the biogenic of microorganisms with unique functional properties. If these
amines commonly found in fermented sausages. However, the resources are systematically explored, isolated, preserved, and
ability to produce these compounds varies at the strain level, evaluated for safety, they could potentially be developed into
making it essential to assess the safety of individual strains starter cultures derived from Thailand’s indigenous microbial
before using them as starter cultures. resources. This could help improve production consistency
Some LAB strains can also produce bacteriocins, while preserving the traditional flavors of local meat products.
peptides that can inhibit certain target bacteria. This has led
to the development of protective culture or biopreservation Exploring Omics Technologies for High-Precision
approaches. These strategies have attracted interest in the Microbial Starter Culture Design
development of products with reduced additives or nitrite- Modern technologies have taken fermentation research far
reduced formulations. Their effectiveness can be enhanced beyond traditional microbial cultivation and enumeration.
by combining them with other control factors based on the Metagenomics, which analyzes the genetic material of
principles of hurdle technology, including pH, water activity, microorganisms within a microbial community, provides
salt concentration, temperature, plant hygiene, drying, and insights into the composition and genetic potential of
packaging, which can help enhance product safety throughout microorganisms involved in the fermentation process.
the entire production process. Meanwhile, metabolomics enables researchers to monitor the
metabolites actually produced during fermentation, including
organic acids, amino acids, fatty acids, and various volatile
compounds. By integrating data from both approaches,
researchers can investigate which groups of microorganisms
are associated with specific metabolic pathways and how these
pathways influence the flavor, safety, and product quality. Such
information can enhance the selection of starter cultures and
the design of microbial consortia for fermentation based on a
deeper understanding at the molecular level.
In the future, omics data may be integrated with predictive
modeling and machine learning to help analyze and predict
fermentation outcomes. However, applying these tools at the
industrial scale still requires further development in several
areas, including analytical costs, measurement methods that
are sufficiently rapid for production environments, and the
accuracy and reliability of predictive models.
From “Fermentation” to “Fermentation Design”
Designing Microbial Communities for the Quality Novel meat fermentation technology is not about replacing
and Identity of Fermented Meat Products traditional knowledge with new technology. Rather, it is about
Modern fermentation approaches view fermented meat products applying scientific knowledge to better understand and control
as complex systems in which multiple groups of microorganisms the roles of microorganisms. This ranges from selecting starter
work together, with each group performing a different role. cultures, using protective cultures, and designing microbial
Certain LAB strains can rapidly produce acids and lower product consortia, to applying omics technologies to gain deeper
pH, while selected and safety-evaluated coagulase-negative insight into the changes that occur during fermentation.
staphylococci (CNS), such as Staphylococcus xylosus and This knowledge can also be extended to address emerging
S. carnosus, contribute to color development, help reduce challenges in the industry, such as reducing variability in
oxidation, and play a role in flavor formation. This has led to the flavor, controlling biogenic amines, developing nitrite-reduced
concept of mixed starter cultures or microbial consortia, in which products, and applying fermentation to alternative protein foods
multiple microbial strains work synergistically to achieve targeted to reduce undesirable odors and improve the raw material
product characteristics. properties. Fermentation is therefore evolving from a food
Another promising approach is the use of indigenous preservation method into a powerful tool for designing the
starter cultures, which focuses on selecting microorganisms quality of future foods.
from traditional fermented products originating from specific An important opportunity for entrepreneurs is to apply
regions. This does not mean simply allowing naturally modern science to better understand Thailand’s fermented
occurring microorganisms to ferment without control. Instead, foods, from studying the functions of LAB and selecting
microorganisms are isolated and screened for desirable indigenous microorganisms to conducting molecular-level
properties, such as strong acid-producing ability, tolerance to analysis. With systematic research and development, the
processing conditions, potential to develop desirable flavors, and diversity of Thailand’s fermented foods and microbial resources
the ability to minimize the formation of undesirable compounds. could provide a foundation for creating safe, high-quality
Suitable strains can then be reintroduced as starter cultures products while preserving their distinctive local identity.
under controlled fermentation conditions. The advantage is that
it can increase production consistency while also providing an
opportunity to preserve the distinctive characteristics of local
More Information Service Info C005

30 MEAT & POULTRY EDITION OCT 2026

22/9/2569 BE 15:52
27-30_��������� 5_Novel Meat.indd 30
27-30_��������� 5_Novel Meat.indd 30 22/9/2569 BE 15:52