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This may help some.

If the result you are looking for is that acidic "tang" that is found in fermented meat, then read below.
That “fermented tang” as found in fermented dry cured meat is due to a lactic acid build up (decrease in pH). Fermento duplicates this somewhat, as does Citric Acid, however, Citric Acid is not lactic acid. With the Citric Acid you will get an acidic tang, but not the same as the real thing. Fermentation is the key to making high quality products with the traditional tangy flavors. These tangy flavors are produced by specific bacteria that are added to the meat by chance during the handling of the meat, or by deliberately adding a known Starter Culture as part of the formula. The latter method is more desirable, as we can have controlled fermentation and can produce a consistent product.

FERMENTO: A dairy based product (Cultured Whey Protein and Skim Milk) used to produce a tangy
taste in semi dry products such as Venison Summer Sausage, Cervelat, Goetburg, and any other
Summer Sausage. The recommended level to start with is 3% (about 1 oz. per lb. of meat). You may add
up to 6% to produce a more tangy taste, but do not exceed 6% or the sausage will become mushy. Fermento does not require refrigeration and eliminates the time necessary for the fermentation process to take place when using meat starter cultures. Instead of several days required for starter cultures to start fermenting; you can now stuff your sausage immediately and proceed to smoking.

MEAT STARTER CULTURES: Live bacteria that are added to the meat mix to lower the pH and are used in a very specific environment where the humidity and the temperature can be controlled. Different meat Starter Cultures are available to make products with different levels of “tang”. Using meat Starter Cultures require a fermentation period, which is not necessary when using Citric Acid or Fermento.

ENCAPSULATED CITRIC ACID: Use encapsulated citric acid when making semi-dried (processed using heat) summer sausages or snack sticks when that distinctive “tang”, associated with reduce pH, is desired but the lengthy fermentation cycle is not. When used correctly, it is almost impossible to tell if the sausage was manufactured by fermentation or by the use of this product. There is no need to worry about processing under special conditions. You just add the citric acid to the meat at end of the mixing process (making sure that you do not grind meat again), and then blend into the meat by hand or by mixer. If using a meat mixer, mix only until the encapsulated citric acid is blended into the meat mix, usually about one minute is sufficient. Longer mixing can cause the capsules to rupture resulting in the premature release of the citric acid. This can also happen when citric acid is run though the grinder.

Encapsulated Citric Acid is Citric Acid, a naturally occurring acid, that has been encapsulated (coated) with maltodexrine, a hydrogenated vegetable oil, which will melt at 135 degrees F. releasing the Citric Ccid into the meat product. This prevents the Citric Acid from releasing and prematurely lowering the ph of your sausage meat mix. If the meat’s ph drops before the protein sets at 105-115 degrees you will get a negative effect on the texture of your finished sausage. It won't bind as well and the texture will be crumbly. Since heat is needed this product is not used for making dry products (processed with no heat). Those products require a starter culture. Once the capsule has melted, releasing the Citric Acid into the product, a decrease in pH is achieved resulting in the distinctive "tang" or sour taste associated with reduced pH products.
Suggested usage for this purpose is 3 oz. for 25 lb. of meat
Also use to preserve color of fresh sausage during storage. Use 1/2 oz. to 1 oz. per 100 lb. of meat for this purpose.
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NOTE: Too much Citric Acid will cause the meat to turn white.
 
Good write-up and explanation.
I have a question. When a starter culture is added, does the length of time to ferment depend on the diameter of the casings used.
Snack stick size vs 4".
 
From ECA "If the meat’s ph drops before the protein sets at 105-115 degrees you will get a negative effect on the texture of your finished sausage". How does denaturing not occur in fermented sausage? Fermentation step is prior to smoke/cook...

Also, I see MUCH variation in the suggested % to use for ECA. Are there different ECAs? Any recommendations?

Many thanks in advance.
 
Fermentation using an agent will be the same in all size casings. Do follow the recommended time/temps for fermenting using the agent your going to use.
 
From ECA "If the meat’s ph drops before the protein sets at 105-115 degrees you will get a negative effect on the texture of your finished sausage". How does denaturing not occur in fermented sausage? Fermentation step is prior to smoke/cook...

Also, I see MUCH variation in the suggested % to use for ECA. Are there different ECAs? Any recommendations?

Many thanks in advance.

I have never had any denature of the protein while using ECA, now powdered CA i have because it starts to work fast at breaking down the proteins. So far the only fermentation agent safe to use with cure 1&2 for smoking or cooking is Bactoferm Safepro F-LC

This may give you some use info.
addchart.png
 
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Fermentation using an agent will be the same in all size casings. Do follow the recommended time/temps for fermenting using the agent your going to use.
The "agent" I would be using is cultured buttermilk powder. No instruction on that other than what I read on this forum. Most of that is from reading your posts. I just didn't know if the amount of meat had any bearing on the length of the fermenting step.
 
Cultured buttermilk powder is not really a fermentation agent, its just going to add a slight tank from the lactic acid in it, there is not a huge amount of LA in the powder. On the chart i posted the first one is buttermilk powder, use yours at the same rate per 5pounds, if you make smaller you will need to adjust some
 
So far the only fermentation agent safe to use with cure 1&2 for smoking or cooking is Bactoferm Safepro F-LC
Fl, can you clarify this? Why would others not be safe? They’re cultures we eat from all the time. I must be misunderstanding something.

Are you saying they are for uncooked meats only?

Thanks.

Jbo
 
I just ordered ECA from Sausage Maker... gonna run a batch of sticks (3 twin packs)next week.. Rick, wanna come and help.. don't now if I should put it in all or just a few pounds for a test batch... hell.. might not like it... ...
 
The ECA is the same, maybe diff coatings and makers with many labels.
 
Fl, can you clarify this? Why would others not be safe? They’re cultures we eat from all the time. I must be misunderstanding something.

Are you saying they are for uncooked meats only?

Thanks.

Jbo


Bactoferm culture agents are for sausage making. Yes there are other cultures for baking and other things. Soughdough has active culture but i would not use it in dry sausage. Buttermilk has live active cultures but not really meant for dry cure salumi production.
 
But what about T-SPX and F-RM-52 and . . .?

or do they all fall under the F-LC family?

Jbo
 
I have Saco powder now and ECA on the way. I have read threads about Saco and many say there is no tang at all but no idea what % they used. I just want a mild to medium amount of tang in my SS, which might be better? Saco or smaller dose ECA?

Is there are rule of thumb for how much sugar/dextrose to use when fermenting? I thought I saw .5% frequently used.
 
Fermento, Saco and ECA will not ferment with dextrose. To get the fermentation with dextrose you will need to use a fermentation agent like one of the bacotferm agents.

ECA will help lower the pH of the meat making it shelf stable, look at ECA as a hack to traditional fermenting. fermento and saco will just give you the tangy bite but not as pronounced as ECA.
 
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Great. I will try the Saco on the next SS run. I am aware these do not ferment and are not agents or active cultures. Thank you for clarifying. That said, I am still interested in learning the finer points of fermenting sausage. I recall the amount of dextrose when using a culture is small and the dose for the culture itself is VERY small like .0025% or something. Am I far off?
 
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