The single and combined effects of the starter organismsLactobacillus curvatusLc2,Micrococcus variansM101 andDebaryomyces hanseniiDH1 on the growth ofStaphylococcus aureusSaC1507 were investigated in dry sausages. The sausages were prepared by adding to 1 kg of meat either 300 mg potassium nitrate and 28 g sodium chloride or 28 g of a nitrite‐curing salt containing 0.4% sodium nitrite. In sausages prepared with nitrateS.aureusgrew to a maximum level of 4 × 107cfu/g in the absence of any starter. Each single starter organism clearly exerted an inhibitory effect on the growth ofS.aureus. A further decrease was observed with combination of two starters and the strongest inhibition occurred after combination of all three organisms. Similar effects of starters were noted in the presence of nitrite; however, the reduction of the maximum count ofS.aureuswas more pronounced in most cases. The kinetics of microbial growth could be attributed to changes in pH and nitrite concentration. The results show, that by application of suitable cultures, the risk of growth ofS.aureusin dry sausage can be markedly reduced.