Study of the microbiological safety and effect on the human gut microbiota of new clean label ham formulations

Clean labelling is a growing trend in the food sector. As customer awareness of the components used in day-to-day products improves, clean labelling emerges from the desire for better and more nutritious food items with a short, simple, and recognized ingredient list and little processing (1;2). The purpose of this study was to determine if natural sources of nitrate coupled with nitrate reductase-producing food cultures can ensure microbiological safety and provide protection against Clostridium spp. In four new ham formulations. The influence of these innovative formulations on the human gut microbiota for potential consumers was also examined using HPLC measurement of short-chained fatty acids (SCFAs) and branched-chained fatty acids (BCFAs).