"Fermented meats use bacterial cultures in their manufacture to preserve the meat and confer particular textures and sensory attributes. Examples of fermented meats include salami, chorizo, pepperoni and saucisson. This is a reference book on meat fermentation which presents all the principle fermented meat products and the processing technologies currently used in their manufacture. The 56 chapters of this substantial book are group into the following sections: Meat fermentation worldwide: history and principles Raw materials Microbiology and starter cultures for meat fermentation Sensory attributes Product categories: general considerations Semidry-fermented sausages Dry-fermented sausages Other fermented meats and poultry Ripened meat products Biological and chemical safety of fermented meat products Processing sanitation and quality assurance This fully revised and expanded second edition contains six new chapters that address the following topics: Smoking and new smoke flavorings; Probiotics; Methodologies for the study of the microbial ecology in fermented sausages; Enzymes and aroma generation; Flavor; Low sodium in meat products; and Asian sausages. The remaining chapters have been updated to reflect the latest advances and developments. This handbook will provide readers with a full overview of meat fermentation, the role of microorganisms naturally present and/or added as starter cultures, safety aspects and an account of the main chemical, biochemical, physical and microbiological changes that occur in processing and how they affect final quality. Finally, readers will find the main types of worldwide fermented meat products, typically produced in different areas, with the description of their main characteristics"-- "Covers the whole manufacturing process from raw materials and starter cultures through to finished product quality assurance"--