Occurrence and behavior of Enterobacteriaceae and enterococci in mediterranean dry sausages during ripening in a Pilot-Scale chamber.
The occurrence and evolution of Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and enterococci in 252 samples of six types of Mediterranean dry-ripened sausages during maturation was investigated. The changes of the pH values were also recorded. Samples were analyzed in three steps of the ripening process: fresh product, first drying stage, and finished product. In all six sausages, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, and E. coli counts were characterized by high initial concentrations that significantly decreased during ripening. However, the initial counts of enterococci remained stable throughout the experiments in all sausages types. The average pH values of finished sausages ranged from 4.54 to 5.31.
López
Carmen
C
Animal Production and Food Science Department, Cardenal Herrera-CEU University, E-46113 Moncada (Valencia), Spain.
Medina
L M
LM
Jordano
R
R
D000818:Animals; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005285:Fermentation; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015994:Incidence; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D013552:Swine