High pressure processing at the early stages of ripening enhances the safety and quality of dry fermented sausages elaborated with or without starter culture

•High pressure processing and starter culture reducedSalmonellaTyphimurium ≥ 2.4 log.•High pressure processing reducedL. monocytogenesby 1.5 (alone) and ≥ 4.8 log (with starter culture).•Both hurdles demonstrated inhibition of spoilage microbiota.•Both hurdles fastered decrease of aw and did not alter sensorial quality.•The addition of starter culture highly influence the taxonomic profile of samples.