Isolation, characterization, and fermentation potential of coagulase-negative with taste-enhancing properties from Chinese traditional bacon.

No proprietary starter cultures for crafting Chinese bacon. This study aimed to isolate Coagulase-negative (CNS) from Chinese bacon, identify their species, and evaluate their ability to produce biogenic amines (BAs), peptides, free amino acids (FAAs), and degrade proteins. Twenty-one isolates were deficient in hemolysis, DNase, and coagulase activities, and exhibited low amino acid decarboxylase activity. Further characterization revealed 11 CNS species showing protease, lipase, or nitrate reductase activities. Specifically, was able to degrade both sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins, while was found to only degrade myofibrillar proteins. Both were able to reduce the BAs and increase the content of peptides around day 3. The meat fermented by these two CNS contained FAAs that are more conducive to taste formation, such as Glu and Asp, and reduced the content of bitter FAAs. These findings will provide insights into the use of CNS for Chinese bacon.