Abstract
The use of starter cultures with active metabolic activity during fermentation represents an effective biotechnological method for processing meat products, ensuring their safety, enhancing microbiological stability, and extending shelf life. A particularly promising approach involves the application of strains isolated from traditional fermented dairy products, which contribute to preserving authentic flavor and improving the organoleptic characteristics of fermented lamb. The development of domestic starter cultures based on such strains is of practical importance for expanding the range of national meat products, reducing dependence on imported cultures, and aligning with the requirements of the modern food industry and the concept of functional nutrition.The aim of this study is to conduct a comparative microbiological analysis of the traditional fermented dairy product kurt, produced using different technological recipes, and to assess the influence of fermentation duration on the quality characteristics of lamb when using starter cultures based on isolated bacteria.In this work, lactic acid bacteria were isolated and preliminarily identified from three samples of the traditional Kazakh fermented dairy product kurt. Strains of Lactobacillus casei and Lactococcus lactis, which demonstrated high viability and favorable organoleptic properties upon activation, were used as starter cultures. A fermentation technology for lamb was developed using these microorganisms isolated from kurt.Meat samples were incubated at 4 °C with the addition of 5% salt and 20% starter culture for 4, 8, and 12 hours. The results indicated a decrease in pH, an increase in moisture and fat content, improvement in texture, and the formation of a meat-dairy aroma. Water activity remained at a microbiologically safe level (Aw < 0.90), ensuring product stability.Both theoretical and experimental research methods were employed in the study. Experimental work was conducted at the Laboratory of Physicochemical Analysis of Food Products named after Professor K. Z. Amirkhanov at Shakarim University, using conventional, modified, and standardized methodologies.The results confirm the potential of using autochthonous lactic acid cultures derived from kurt in the production of traditional fermented lamb products, contributing to improved quality, safety, and sensory characteristics. Future research should focus on optimizing the fermentation process and enhancing the functional properties of the final product.