Abstract: Fermented sausage is a typical representative of fermented meat products due to its widespread distribution and high output. The product is popular with consumers due to its unique flavor. In recent years, improving the safety, sensory quality and health benefits of fermented sausage has become the core of research, while starter culture, processing parameters improvement, and the development of low-fat and low-salt fermented sausage can provide important strategies to improve the quality of fermented sausage. In this paper, we review recent studies focused on functional starter cultures, starter culture combinations, enzymes and new technologies in the production of fermented sausage and the development of new low-fat and low-salt products, and we also discuss the prospects for future research, which will provide a reference for research on fermented sausage.

Key words: fermented sausage, starter culture, processing parameters improvement, low-fat and low-salt