title: Mycoflora of two types of Portuguese dry-smoked sausages and inhibitory effect of sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, and methyl p-hydroxybenzoate on mold growth rate.
abstract: The mycoflora of chouriqo types Alentejano and Ribatejano, two varieties of Portuguese dry-smoked sausages, have been investigated after a producer-defined shelf life period (120 days at 20 +/- 5 degrees C) in modified atmosphere packaging (55% N2 and 45% CO2). On the basis of morphological and physiological characteristics, the isolates were identified as Penicillium, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Rhizopus, Monilia, Absidia, and Cephalosporium. The species identified were as follows: Penicillium terrestres (43.4%), Penicillium sp. (13.3%), Fusarium sp. (10%), Aspergillus glaucus (10%), Aspergillus versicolor (6.8%), Monilia fruticola (3.3%), Absidia sp. (3.3%), Cephalosporium sp. (3.3%), Rhizopus stolonifer (3.3%), and Fusarium tricinctum (3.3%). Additionally, the effects of three preservatives (potassium sorbate [PS], sodium benzoate [SB], and methyl p-hydroxybenzoate [MHB]) were studied on the growth rate of mold representative isolates. MHB showed a greater inhibitory effect than SB and PS in all fungi isolates, except in A. glaucus [Tm30(A)], in which the inhibitory effect of MHB was similar to PS. At 0.05% (wt/vol), all fungi were inhibited with MHB, except for R. stolonifer [Tm25(A)], which started to decrease the growth rate only at a concentration higher than 0.1%. PS was more effective at inhibiting mold growth than SB, except in Absidia sp. [Tm16(R)], in which both showed a similar inhibitory effect. MHB showed great promise as an application to the surface at 0.1% (wt/vol) to improve the stability and safety of the product through the inhibition of potential spoilage and toxigenic molds.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Technical University of Lisbon, Secçãdo de Produção Animal, 1349-017, Lisboa, Portugal. matosteresa@isa.utl.pt
authors.forename: T J S
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: F M A
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Bernardo
authors.forename: A H S
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hojberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005516:Food Microbiology; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005520:Food Preservatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D010226:Parabens / Q000494:pharmacology; D020160:Sodium Benzoate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013011:Sorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005520:Food Preservatives; D010226:Parabens; C015358:methylparaben; D020160:Sodium Benzoate; D013011:Sorbic Acid