Saucisson belongs to the large family of sausages from a scientific and technological perspective.
A sausage is defined as a preparation of minced or ground meat, seasoned and stuffed into a natural or artificial casing.
Saucisson perfectly fits this definition.
The main difference lies in the method of preservation and processing.
Three main categories are generally distinguished: fresh sausages, cooked sausages, and fermented sausages.
Fresh sausages must be consumed quickly and are intended to be cooked.
Cooked sausages undergo heat treatment before consumption.
Fermented sausages, such as saucisson, undergo controlled fermentation.
This fermentation is caused by lactic acid bacteria that lower the pH.
After fermentation, the product is dried for several weeks or months.
Drying reduces available water and ensures preservation.
Saucisson is therefore classified among “dry fermented sausages.”
Products such as Italian salami or Spanish chorizo belong to the same category.
The distinction between sausage and saucisson is mainly cultural and linguistic.
In everyday French, the word sausage refers to fresh or cookable products.
The word saucisson refers to a dry, cured product.
Scientifically, however, the technological basis remains the same.
It is always a mixture of meat, fat, salt, and spices.
Thus, saucisson is indeed a sausage, but a fermented and dried one.