Microbial Growth and Biogenic Amine Production in a Balkan-Style Fresh Sausage during Refrigerated Storage under a CO₂-Containing Anaerobic Atmosphere: Effect of the Addition of <i>Zataria multiflora</i> Essential Oil and Hops Extract

• Main Authors: Diego E. Carballo, Javier Mateo, Sonia Andrés, Francisco Javier Giráldez, Emiliano J. Quinto, Ali Khanjari, Sabina Operta, Irma Caro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-11-01
• Series: Antibiotics
• Subjects: lamb sausage; lactic acid bacteria; shelf-life; natural antimicrobials; meat preparations; modified atmosphere packaging
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/8/4/227

Fresh sausages are highly perishable, and the preservatives allowed in these types of meat preparations are limited. Balkan-style fresh sausages were prepared in triplicate without antimicrobials (Control), with an aqueous hops extract (30 mL/kg), with <i>Zataria multiflora</i> Boiss essential oil (1 mL/kg), or a combination of both (15 and 0.5 mL/kg, respectively), and refrigerator-stored under a 20% CO₂ and 80% N₂ atmosphere. The spoilage microbial growth, i.e., lactic acid bacteria (LAB), <i>Brochothrix thermosphacta</i>, <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i>, <i>Micrococcaceae</i>, molds and yeasts, the pH value, and the production of biogenic amines in the sausages were monitored weekly and compared with a control sausage during a 35-day storage period. Furthermore, 349 colonies of presumptive LAB (isolated from the De Mann, Rogose-Sharpe agar plates) were identified using a MALDI-TOF-based method. Growth levels to &#8776; 9 Log colony forming units (CFU) per g were reached by LAB, with a predominance of <i>Lactobacillus sakei</i>. <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i> and <i>B. thermosphacta</i> also showed significant growth (up to 6 Log CFU/g). Biogenic amine levels increased, and tyramine values overcame 250 mg/kg. The study could not demonstrate a significant effect of antimicrobial source treatments in any of the characteristics studied, and thus, the shelf-life of sausages.