title: Study of green Sicilian table olive fermentations through microbiological, chemical and sensory analyses.
abstract: The production of five different green table olive cultivars was studied by a combined strategy consisting of chemical, microbiological and sensory analyses. Cultivable microflora of samples collected during processing was monitored by plate counts on seven synthetic culture media. In all samples Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonaceae, staphylococci, lactic acid bacteria and spore-forming bacteria were undetectable. Yeasts and moulds were countable from the day 42 (2 log CFU/ml) till the end of fermentation (6 log CFU/ml). The use of three different approaches for microorganism detection, including a culture-independent methodology, revealed the presence of barely three yeast species during the entire fermentation period: Candida parapsilosis, Pichia guilliermondii and Pichia kluyveri. Biochemical features of technological interest were evaluated for 94 strains in order to investigate their potential role in fermentation of green Sicilian table olives. Olive drupes sampled at picking and periodically during fermentation were also carpologically analyzed, revealing that all the cultivars were suitable for table olive fermentation process. After 120 days of fermentation all products met acceptable commercial standards, although GC-MS analysis evidenced several differences among varieties in terms of aroma components. Results from sensory evaluation led to the conclusion that a revision of technological procedures may improve the final quality of product.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Scienza degli Alimenti, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, NA, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aponte
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ventorino
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blaiotta
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Volpe
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Farina
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Avellone
authors.forename: Carmela Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lanza
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moschetti
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D031658:Olea / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013649:Taste; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds