An interdisciplinary perspective on traditional meat products: from microbes to consumers

Processed meats, such as fermented meat products, are the result of empirical findings that are rooted in history and improved the preservation of raw meat, which evolved in a large variety of products. These products are also to be seen as societal constructs within the conceptual framework of traditional foods. This PhD study focused specifically on the microbiological and consumer aspects of fermented meat products, and how they relate to the objective and subjective generation of quality, safety, naturalness, and traditionality.

First, the impact of meat types and processing parameters on bacterial diversity was investigated using (GTG)5-PCR fingerprinting of genomic DNA of isolated colonies. For pork of variable qualities, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) emerged as the predominant group, followed by Gram-positive catalase-positive cocci (GCC). Within the LAB, a shift from Latilactobacillus sakei to Latl. curvatus was encountered as pH increased. The GCC counts increased at higher salt levels, but in-group species diversity remained unaffected, consisting mostly of Staphylococcus equorum, S. saprophyticus, and S. xylosus. Low salting and high pH values enhanced undesirable enterobacterial growth. Furthermore, the analyses showed that the use of different meat types can affect the microbial patterns.

As a case study, Faroese skerpikjøt (wind-dried sheep leg), an underexplored traditional meat product, was studied with a complementary combination of (GTG)5-PCR fingerprinting of genomic DNA and high-throughput amplicon-based sequencing of bacterial whole-community DNA. The group of GCC was predominant (in particular S. equorum), whereas for the LAB, Latl. curvatus was found in abundance in only one sample. The spoilage microorganism Clostridium putrefaciens prevailed in some samples. Biogenic amines were found in non-alarming concentrations.

In the last part of this PhD project, the focus was on consumer research. Fermented meat labels available in the Belgian retail were investigated with respect to their traditional and naturalness features. For the quantification of these properties, a content analysis tool was developed. Overall, traditional elements were often encountered, in contrast to naturalness. A link between a higher degree of tradition and naturalness with higher prices was found. To explore this further, a survey was conducted to investigate how consumers perceive the subdimensions of tradition (time, geography, know-how, and storytelling). Storytelling had the strongest influence on perceived quality and purchase intentions. Whereas the know-how subdimension was valued when consumers were asked consciously, this did not appear to trigger stronger purchase intentions when answered unconsciously.

The combined findings underlined the value of traditional meat products, even if they also cautioned against some practices. It was shown how variation in meat type and process technology, which were driven by the interest of consumers in more traditional and natural set-ups, could affect the microbial dynamics and lead to unwanted bacterial consequences if not properly performed. The study showcased that the use of traditional elements on food labels could be effective to convince consumers but also needed to be approached with care. While storytelling features seemed particularly effective, some elements of traditionality may be misinterpreted (as was the case for a reference to artisan ‘smoking’).