Influence of salt level, starter culture, fermentable carbohydrates, and temperature on the behaviour of L. monocytogenes in sliced chouriço during storage

Abstract

Sliced ready-to-eat traditional meat products presented in individual packaging with more convenience to the consumer is the way that food industry tries to adapt to the new consumer tendencies.The current work assessed the survival of Listeria monocytogenes in a contaminated sliced vacuum packed chouriço with different sugar concentrations, two salt levels, and presence/absence of Lactobacillus sakei as starter culture along the storage period at two temperatures (8 ºC and 22 ºC). Neither the inoculation with L. sakei, nor the addition of carbohydrates infl uenced the survival of the pathogen. Higher amount of salt resulted in a signifi cant reduction of L. monocytogenes, and storage at the higher temperature displayed a safer product. After 7 days, L. monocytogenes was not detected in any samples. The study of the association of the factors contributing for L. monocytogenes survival by logistic regression showed that increasing the level of salt addition from 1.5% to 3% reduces the odds of survival of L. monocytogenes to about one fi fth (0.174). Worthy of attention is the signifi cant reduction in the odds (OR=0.028) of fi nding viable L. monocytogenes when the samples are stored at room temperature (22 ºC), when compared to low temperature (8 ºC).The general and indiscriminate use of refrigeration for meat products might increase the risk of presence of L. monocytogenes. The competitive advantage that L. monocytogenes has at low temperatures, as the potential inhibition of LAB activity, is probably the reason of the observed behaviour. The amount of salt was an important hurdle to control L. monocytogenes growth, so, manufacturing meat products with lower salt contents to meet the demands of healthy products might represent a risk for safety, since high levels of salt together with low a w are the keys for their conservation.

The Use of Starter Cultures in Traditional Meat Products

“…Several authors have reported the use of LAB starter cultures for the production of fermented sausages [34][35][36][37][38]. For example, Wang and coworkers reported the inoculation with L. sakei as beneficial for microbiological quality against the growth of foodborne pathogens, also improving sensory characteristics [34].…”

Red Wine and Garlic as a Possible Alternative to Minimize the Use of Nitrite for Controlling Clostridium Sporogenes and Salmonella in a Cured Sausage: Safety and Sensory Implications

“…In the tradition of meat product manufacturing, several products are seasoned with generous amounts of red wine, sometimes as high as 10% (v/w), which is added in the batter used for chouriço-a filled sausage with a natural casing that is tied in a horseshoe shape and cold smoked and dried. Wine can also be used in a marinade for whole piece products, such as cured pork loins [6,7]. In these meat products, wine has an indubitable sensory effect on their color and aroma and probably exerts an antimicrobial effect due to the presence of organic acids, ethanol, and phenolic compounds [8,9].…”

Microbiological Quality of Foodstuffs Sold on Expiry Date at Retail in Portugal: A Preliminary Study

“…In addition, the low levels of ENT and E. coli observed in our samples suggest an adequate hygiene of processing/handling. Since the slicing process is recognized as a risk procedure regarding foodborne contamination, the consumption of sliced meat products at the end of the shelf life, even with the absence of foodborne pathogens in studied samples, may be appropriately evaluated [43].…”