Abstract:

In this paper, Lactobacillus plantarum, Staphylococcus xylosus and Debaryomyces hansenii were separately
inoculated into rabbit meat. Dried meat slice was prepared after fermentation and drying. The effect of these three strains on
changes in free fatty acids in dried rabbit meat slice was investigated. Total free fatty acid content in fermented rabbit meat
was higher than in the non-fermented one, and followed the decreasing order in three starter culture groups: Staphylococcus
xylosus ＞ Dabaryomyces hansenii ＞ Lactobacillus plantarum. This finding implies that addition of three starter cultures
facilitates fat decomposition in dried rabbit slice in this decreasing order to generate free fatty acids, resulting in increased or
decreased contents of fatty acids. The contents of total free fatty acids and individual fatty acids were higher in rabbit meat
fermented with a mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum, Staphylococcus xylosus and Debaryomyces hansenii at a mass ratio of
1:4:1 than in single-strain fermented and non-fermented rabbit meat, suggesting that mixed-strain fermentation has a stronger
ability to decompose fats into free fatty acids.

Key words: dried rabbit meat slice, mixed-strain fermentation, free fatty acid