Use of natural compounds to improve the microbial stability of Amaranth-based homemade fresh pasta.
A study on the use of natural antimicrobial compounds to improve the microbiological stability of refrigerated amaranth-based homemade fresh pasta is presented in this work. In particular, the antimicrobial activity of thymol, lemon extract, chitosan and grapefruit seed extract (GFSE) has been tested against mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, total coliforms, Staphylococcus spp., yeasts and moulds. A sensory analysis on both fresh and cooked pasta was also run. Results suggest that chitosan and GFSE strongly increase the microbial acceptability limit of the investigated spoilage microorganisms, being the former the most effective. Thymol efficiently reduces the growth of mesophilic bacteria, psychrotrophic bacteria and Staphylococcus spp., whereas it does not affect, substantially, the growth cycle of total coliforms. Lemon extract is the less effective in preventing microbial growth. In fact, it is able to delay only total mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacterial evolution. From a sensorial point of view no significant differences were recorded between the control samples and all the types of loaded amaranth-based pasta.
Del Nobile
M A
MA
Department of Food Science, University of Foggia, Via Napoli 25, 71100 Foggia, Italy. ma.delnobile@unifg.it
Di Benedetto
N
N
Suriano
N
N
Conte
A
A
Lamacchia
C
C
Corbo
M R
MR
Sinigaglia
M
M
D027721:Amaranthus / Q000382:microbiology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000494:pharmacology; D002957:Citrus / Q000737:chemistry; D032083:Citrus paradisi / Q000737:chemistry; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005520:Food Preservatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013649:Taste; D013943:Thymol / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
D005520:Food Preservatives; D013943:Thymol; D048271:Chitosan