摘要：The purpose of this study was to isolate the indigenous microbial population of samples from the Slavonian kulen produced in the traditional way in rural households. Autochthonous microbial population are potential starter cultures, which can be used to obtain top quality avour and texture certain traditional meat products. Dominant microbial populations consisted of lactic acid bacteria (LAB): L. plantarum (4,7log10CFU/g) in two samples, L. delbrueckii (3,0log10CFU/g) in two samples, L. mesenteroides (9,23log10CFU/g) and L. acidophilus (7,78 log10 CFU/g) in one sample of Slavonian kulen. The bacteria from the genus of Staphylococcus was also dominated microbial population in Slavonian kulen, the typical representatives of starter cultures for meat, as follows: S. xylosus, S. warneri, S. lentus and S. auricularis in number from 3.30 - 5.56 log10 CFU / g sample. From two samples of Slavonian kulen were isolated yeasts, representatives of starter cultures for meat: Candida famata. Yeasts were isolated from the surface and from the mid of Slavonian kulen in number from 3.48 to 6.48 log10 CFU / g. From the surface 4 of 6 analyzed kulen were isolated molds from the genus Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus sp. Considering the presence of mold in samples of Slavonian kulen, the presence of mycotoxins were also determined. Mycotoxin concentrations were 0.9 to 1.6 ppb for ochratoxin A (OTA) and 0.1 to 0.5 ppb for aatoxin B1 (AFB1) and were dened not only on the surface layer, but also in the centre of Slavonian kulen. In the samples of kulen which were not iso- lated molds, it was not proven the presence of mycotoxins. All LAB isolates showed signicant antimicrobial activity against tested pathogenic microorganisms, and showed one of the important properties of potential starter cultures.
