title: The origin of off-odours in packaged rucola (Eruca sativa).
abstract: Rucola (Eruca sativa) was decontaminated and then reinoculated with selected microorganisms. The produce was then stored in three different atmospheres and at two temperatures. The accumulation of off-odours in the packaging headspace was analysed. A dozen compounds were detected by olfactometry but only dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide were considered to have a strong or moderate intensity. Thus, they were identified as the substances causing an unpleasant smell inside the bags. Inoculation with microorganisms resulted in higher production of off-odours. Samples inoculated with Pseudomonadaceae&Xanthamonadaceae were particularly potent in producing the two sulphides. The off-odour problem was much more prominent in samples that were kept in a packaging material that did not allow gas exchange resulting in oxygen levels below 1%. Higher levels of sulphides were detected at 8°C than at 4°C.
authors.affiliation: SIK - The Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology, Ideon, 223 70 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: tn@sik.se.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: SIK - The Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology, P.O. Box 5401, 402 29 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bergström
authors.affiliation: SIK - The Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology, Ideon, 223 70 Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borch
keywords: Microorganisms; Off-odour; Packaging; Rucola; Sulphides