{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,8]],"date-time":"2026-01-08T21:46:46Z","timestamp":1767908806621,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"22","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,20]],"date-time":"2024-11-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1732060800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal)","award":["UIDB\/00690\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00690\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal)","award":["UIDP\/00690\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDP\/00690\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal)","award":["LA\/P\/0007\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0007\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal)","award":["PRIMA\/0014\/2022"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PRIMA\/0014\/2022"]}]},{"name":"FCT","award":["UIDB\/00690\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00690\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT","award":["UIDP\/00690\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDP\/00690\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT","award":["LA\/P\/0007\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0007\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT","award":["PRIMA\/0014\/2022"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PRIMA\/0014\/2022"]}]},{"name":"FCT, P.I., through the Institutional Scientific Employment Programme contract","award":["UIDB\/00690\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00690\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT, P.I., through the Institutional Scientific Employment Programme contract","award":["UIDP\/00690\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDP\/00690\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT, P.I., through the Institutional Scientific Employment Programme contract","award":["LA\/P\/0007\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0007\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT, P.I., through the Institutional Scientific Employment Programme contract","award":["PRIMA\/0014\/2022"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PRIMA\/0014\/2022"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Foods"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The physicochemical and microbiological properties of traditional Portuguese ready-to-eat dry fermented sausage chouri\u00e7a de carne samples from 14 regional producers were analysed and subjected to multivariate analysis to determine the relationships between them and to evaluate how the quality and safety of these sausages is affected by these properties. Producer-mean values for physicochemical analyses were quite variable, with intervals of 4.87\u20136.11 for pH, 0.803\u20130.965 for aw, moisture 19.5\u201348.5%, protein 32.0\u201360.1% (db), fat 22.0\u201353.3% (db), ash 3.52\u20139.69% (db), and carbohydrates 1.66\u201313.5% (db). Mesophilic counts varied (5.61\u20138.68 log CFU\/g), while lactic acid bacteria were generally high (MRS: 8.21\u201310.2; M17: 7.66\u201310.0 log CFU\/g). S. aureus was enumerated in levels up to 2.55 log CFU\/g, while presumptive C. perfringens never surpassed 2 log CFU\/g. Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. were also detected in the samples tested. Principal component (PC) analysis yielded a three-dimension solution that explained 60% of the data variation; PC1 (26%) characterized chorizo formulations with more meat, while PC2 (19.3%) described sausages with longer\/rapid fermentation, and PC3 (14.5%) highlighted chouri\u00e7os with poorer hygiene. Cluster analysis identified three quality groups: (i) chorizos with high moisture, high protein content, and lowest pH; (ii) sausages with low moisture, high fat content, and elevated pH; and (iii) chouri\u00e7as with high moisture and high protein but lower fat contents, low pH, and improved hygiene. Lastly, factor analysis yielded a varimax-rotated three-factor solution that explained 65% of the data, with similar results to PCA; factor 1 (23.5%) depicted chorizos with low pH but high moisture, factor 2 (20.8%) described sausages with more meat in the formulation, and factor 3 (20.6%) longer or rapid fermentation. Overall, the results evidenced the great variability in the quality attributes of Portuguese chorizo sausages, very likely to arise from multiple recipes, ingredients, and manufacturing practices. The definition of quality clusters is expected to play a crucial role for the self-denominated \u201cartisanal\u201d food companies to benchmark their chouri\u00e7o sausages against the proper artisanal quality group.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/foods13223705","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,20]],"date-time":"2024-11-20T07:02:58Z","timestamp":1732086178000},"page":"3705","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Microbiological and Physicochemical Profile of Traditionally Produced Chouri\u00e7a de Carne Dry-Fermented Sausages: Towards Benchmarking of Products Against Established Quality Groups"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7339-1036","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Sofia","family":"Faria","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regi\u00f5es de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"},{"name":"Universidade de Vigo, Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecolox\u00eda e Alimentaci\u00f3n (IAA)\u2014CITEXVI, 36310 Vigo, Spain"}]},{"given":"Olga Mar\u00eda","family":"Bonilla-Luque","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Food Science and Technology, UIC Zoonosis y Enfermedades Emergentes (ENZOEM), CeiA3, Universidad de C\u00f3rdoba, Campus Rabanales, 14014 C\u00f3rdoba, Spain"}]},{"given":"La\u00eds","family":"Carvalho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regi\u00f5es de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6016-2077","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nath\u00e1lia","family":"Fernandes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regi\u00f5es de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3513-0054","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Miguel Angel","family":"Prieto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universidade de Vigo, Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecolox\u00eda e Alimentaci\u00f3n (IAA)\u2014CITEXVI, 36310 Vigo, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3077-7414","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vasco","family":"Cadavez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regi\u00f5es de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8462-9775","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ursula","family":"Gonzales-Barron","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regi\u00f5es de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hierro, E., Fern\u00e1ndez, M., de la Hoz, L., and Ord\u00f3\u00f1ez, J.A. (2014). Mediterranean Products. Handbook of Fermented Meat and Poultry, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118522653.ch35"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zdolec, N. (2016). Fermented Meat Products\u2014An Overview. Fermented Meat Products: Health Aspects, CRC Press.","DOI":"10.1201\/9781315369846"},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"European Comission eAmbrosia (1997). Chouri\u00e7a de Carne de Vinhais\/Lingui\u00e7a de Vinhais\u2014Protected Geographic Indication, European Comission eAmbrosia. Product Specification File."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jef.2016.01.004","article-title":"Portuguese Traditional Sausages: Different Types, Nutritional Composition, and Novel Trends","volume":"3","author":"Marcos","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Ethn. Foods"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Villalobos-Delgado, L.H., Caro, I., Salv\u00e1, B.K., Esteves, A., Ramos-Delgado, D.D., Soto, S., Cabeza-Herrera, E.A., Gonz\u00e1lez-Tenorio, R., and Mateo, J. (2021). Chorizo and Chouri\u00e7o de Carne: Varieties, Composition, Manufacturing Process and Shelf Life. Pork, CRC Press.","DOI":"10.1201\/9780429324031-5-5"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4484","DOI":"10.1128\/AEM.65.10.4484-4489.1999","article-title":"Registered Designation of Origin Areas of Fermented Food Products Defined by Microbial Phenotypes and Artificial Neural Networks","volume":"65","author":"Lopes","year":"1999","journal-title":"Appl. Environ. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fbio.2017.05.008","article-title":"Biopreservation Strategies in Combination with Mild High Pressure Treatments in Traditional Portuguese Ready-to-Eat Meat Sausage","volume":"19","author":"Castro","year":"2017","journal-title":"Food Biosci."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1340","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2011.03.017","article-title":"Influence of Processing in the Prevalence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Portuguese Traditional Meat Product","volume":"49","author":"Roseiro","year":"2011","journal-title":"Food Chem. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Tib\u00e9rio, M.L. (1988). Produtos Tradicionais: Import\u00e2ncia S\u00f3cio-Econ\u00f3mica Na Defesa Do Mundo Rural, EXPONOR."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijfoodmicro.2014.11.016","article-title":"Elements of Innovation and Tradition in Meat Fermentation: Conflicts and Synergies","volume":"212","author":"Leroy","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Food Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"(2001). Decreto-Lei n.\u00b0 41\/01 de 9 de Fevereiro, Do Minist\u00e9rio Do Trabalho e Da Solidariedade, Imprensa Nacional da Casa da Moeda. Volume Di\u00e1rio da Rep\u00fablica n.\u00b0 34."},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"(2012). Regulamento (UE) n. \u00b0 1151\/2012 do Parlamento Europeu e do Conselho, de 21 de novembro de 2012, relativo aos regimes de qualidade dos produtos agr\u00edcolas e dos g\u00e9neros aliment\u00edcios. J. Of. Uni\u00e3o Eur., 343, 1\u201329."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"423","DOI":"10.1016\/0309-1740(92)90025-Y","article-title":"The Use of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for Evaluating Results from Pig Meat Quality Measurements","volume":"31","author":"Karlsson","year":"1992","journal-title":"Meat Sci."},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"(2013). Microbiology of the Food Chain\u2014Horizontal Method for the Enumeration of Microorganisms\u2014Part 1: Colony Count at 30 \u00b0C by the Pour Plate Technique (Standard No. ISO 4833-1:2013)."},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"(1998). Microbiology of Food and Animal Feeding Stuffs\u2014Horizontal Method for the Enumeration of Mesophilic Lactic Acid Bacteria\u2014Colony-Count Technique at 30 Degrees C (Standard No. ISO 15214:1998)."},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"(2004). Microbiology of Food and Animal Feeding Stuffs\u2014Horizontal Method for the Enumeration of Clostridium Perfringens\u2014Colony-Count Technique (Standard No. ISO 7937:2004)."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"(2021). Microbiology of the Food Chain\u2014Horizontal Method for the Enumeration of Coagulase-Positive Staphylococci (Staphylococcus Aureus and Other Species)\u2014Part 1: Method Using Baird-Parker Agar Medium (Standard No. ISO 6888-1:2021)."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"(2017). Microbiology of the Food Chain\u2014Horizontal Method for the Detection and Enumeration of Listeria Monocytogenes and of  Listeria spp.\u2014Part 2: Enumeration Method (Standard No. ISO 11290-2:2017)."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"(2017). Microbiology of the Food Chain\u2014Horizontal Method for the Detection and Enumeration of Listeria Monocytogenes and of Listeria spp.\u2014Part 1: Detection Method (Standard No. ISO 11290-1:2017)."},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"(2017). Microbiology of the Food Chain\u2014Horizontal Method for the Detection, Enumeration and Serotyping of Salmonella\u2014Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp. (Standard No. ISO 6579-1:2017)."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"(1997). Meat and Meat Products\u2014Determination of Moisture Content (Reference Method) (Standard No. ISO 1442:1997)."},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"(1998). Meat and Meat Products\u2014Determination of Total Ash (Standard No. ISO 936:1998)."},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"(1978). Meat and Meat Products\u2014Determination of Nitrogen Content (Reference Method) (Standard No. ISO 937:1978)."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"Latimer, G.W. (2023). AOAC Official Method 960.39 Fat (Crude) or Ether Extract in Meat. Official Methods of Analysis of Aoac International, Oxford University Press."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"R Core Team (2023). R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing, R Foundation for Statistical Computing."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"618","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fm.2006.12.007","article-title":"Chemical and Microbiological Characterisation of \u201cSalpic\u00e3o de Vinhais\u201d and \u201cChouri\u00e7a de Vinhais\u201d: Traditional Dry Sausages Produced in the North of Portugal","volume":"24","author":"Ferreira","year":"2007","journal-title":"Food Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"489","DOI":"10.1108\/00070701011043745","article-title":"Innovation with Traditional Products: Chemical Characterization of a Traditional Portuguese Meat Sausage, Aiming at PGI Certification","volume":"112","author":"Brito","year":"2010","journal-title":"Br. Food J."},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"151","article-title":"Aportaciones a la caracterizaci\u00f3n del chorizo elaborado en la provincia de Zamora","volume":"125","year":"2004","journal-title":"Eurocarne Rev. Int. Sect. C\u00e1rnico"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rodr\u00edguez-Gonz\u00e1lez, M., Fonseca, S., Centeno, J.A., and Carballo, J. (2020). Biochemical Changes during the Manufacture of Galician Chorizo Sausage as Affected by the Addition of Autochthonous Starter Cultures. Foods, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/foods9121813"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.18689\/mjft-1000121","article-title":"and U. Microbiological Safety of Portuguese Dry-Fermented Chouri\u00e7o Sausages as Affected by Processing and Physicochemical Factors","volume":"3","author":"Silva","year":"2018","journal-title":"Madridge J. Food Technol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodres.2015.11.007","article-title":"Relating Physicochemical and Microbiological Safety Indicators during Processing of Lingui\u00e7a, a Portuguese Traditional Dry-Fermented Sausage","volume":"78","author":"Cadavez","year":"2015","journal-title":"Food Res. Int."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lwt.2016.04.038","article-title":"An Assessment of the Processing and Physicochemical Factors Contributing to the Microbial Contamination of Salpic\u00e3o, a Naturally-Fermented Portuguese Sausage","volume":"72","author":"Cadavez","year":"2016","journal-title":"LWT Food Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Elias, M., Laranjo, M., Potes, M.E., Agulheiro-Santos, A.C., Fernandes, M.J., Garcia, R., and Fraqueza, M.J. (2020). Impact of a 25% Salt Reduction on the Microbial Load, Texture, and Sensory Attributes of a Traditional Dry-Cured Sausage. Foods, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/foods9050554"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118","DOI":"10.1016\/j.meatsci.2019.05.023","article-title":"Physicochemical, Sensory and Microbiological Characterization of Asturian chorizo, a Traditional Fermented Sausage Manufactured in Northern Spain","volume":"156","author":"Prado","year":"2019","journal-title":"Meat Sci."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Barbieri, F., Tabanelli, G., Montanari, C., Dall\u2019Osso, N., \u0160imat, V., Smole Mo\u017eina, S., Ba\u00f1os, A., \u00d6zogul, F., Bassi, D., and Fontana, C. (2021). Mediterranean Spontaneously Fermented Sausages: Spotlight on Microbiological and Quality Features to Exploit Their Bacterial Biodiversity. Foods, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/foods10112691"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1016\/j.meatsci.2007.08.009","article-title":"A Comparison of the Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics of Alheira Samples from Different-Sized Producers","volume":"79","author":"Patarata","year":"2008","journal-title":"Meat Sci."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Roncal\u00e9s, P. (2014). Additives. Handbook of Fermented Meat and Poultry, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118522653.ch9"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Puolanne, E., and Pet\u00e4j\u00e4-Kanninen, E. (2014). Principles of Meat Fermentation. Handbook of Fermented Meat and Poultry, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118522653.ch3"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Feiner, G. (2006). 16\u2014Raw Fermented Salami. Meat Products Handbook, Woodhead Publishing.","DOI":"10.1533\/9781845691721"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodcont.2015.03.018","article-title":"Effects of Genotype, Salt Content and Calibre on Quality of Traditional Dry-Fermented Sausages","volume":"56","author":"Laranjo","year":"2015","journal-title":"Food Control"}],"container-title":["Foods"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2304-8158\/13\/22\/3705\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T16:35:59Z","timestamp":1760114159000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2304-8158\/13\/22\/3705"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,20]]},"references-count":40,"journal-issue":{"issue":"22","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11]]}},"alternative-id":["foods13223705"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/foods13223705","relation":{},"ISSN":["2304-8158"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2304-8158","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,20]]}}}