What is the white powdery stuff on the skin of a Salami?

[phox_mulder]

What exactly is the white coating on the skin of a Salami?
Mold?
Fungus?
What is it's purpose?

phox

[DrFidelius]

Depends on what the salami has been used for before you encounter it...

[samclem]

I was gonna ask JDT but he's gone. :)

I'll be shocked if it isn't a mold.

I would doubt that there is a purpose, as that would imply intent on the part of someone/thing to make something happen. What can't it just be that mold grows on stuff which has been exposed to the air too long. Check my fridge. ipso facto

[jeyen]

The USDA says:

"Some salamis -- San Francisco, Italian and Eastern European types -- have a characteristic thin, white
mold coating."

See http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/FAQ/hotlinefaq1.htm.

Now as for how the mold gets there....

Jeyen

[Kipper]

Yup it's mold.

Properly made salami is a fermented meat product, it needs no refigeration and was orginally a way of storing meat for the winter, rather like beef jerky.

I suspect that in many supermarkets they only put it in the chiller bacause it's either crap or people wouldn't but it otherwize.

Personally I like my salami hung up so it gets nice and dry and chewy....Mmmmmm.