The processing of nitrite-free dry-cured fermented "salchichón" has been modified and evaluated to know its efficacy in preventing the growth of the pathogenic bacteria L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, and S. aureus. For this, two ripening processes of "salchichón" were performed: a first ripening process to design the best conditions of cold ripening, for preventing the growth of the mentioned pathogens
and a second one with the already established most optimal cold conditions of processing. In both ripening processes L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, and S. aureus and two lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (a selected Latilactobacillus sakei and a commercial culture), were inoculated. The decrease of moisture and pH of the "salchichón" during initial cold ripening for 22 days at 5 °C, to reach values of 40 % (a