Behavior of Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus in Chouriço de Vinho, a dry fermented sausage made from wine- -marinated meat

• Autor(a) principal: García Díez, Juan
• Data de Publicação: 2014
• Outros Autores: Patarata, Luís
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10348/2867
• topic: Chouriço de vinho; Salmonella; Listeria monocytogenes; Staphylococcus aureus

Portuguese chouriço de vinho is made by drying roughly minced meat and fat that has been previously marinated with wine (usually red), salt and garlic for 1 to 2 days at a low temperature (4-8ºC). This procedure may improve the microbiological safety of the product. The aim of this study was to evaluate the behavior of three pathogens in this product, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus, to establish the minimum period of drying/maturation to render safe products. The pathogens were inoculated in the chouriço de vinho batter. A factorial design was used to study the following variables in the fermentation process: (1) the presence or absence of an indigenous Lactobacillus sakei starter culture; (2) the presence or absence of fermentable carbohydrates; and (3) the salt level (1.5% or 3%). The samples were analyzed 24 h after the preparation of the batter (at stuffing); after 7, 15, and 30 days of drying; and after 30 days of storage at 4ºC under a vacuum. At all of the conditions studied, the levels of the three pathogens decreased during the drying period. In the early stages of drying, the effect of adding the L. sakei starter culture and/or carbohydrates resulted in lower levels of gram-positive pathogens. After 15 days of drying, populations of all pathogens decreased by ca. 2 logs in all samples. At that sampling time, L. monocytogenes was undetectable in the chouriço de vinho with L. sakei starter culture and carbohydrates. The mean count of S. aureus after 15 days of drying was below 1 log CFU/g. After 30 days of drying, no pathogens were detected. The drying period could be shortened to 15 days when considering only the gram-positive pathogens studied and the use of a starter culture and carbohydrates. Due to the low infective dose of Salmonella spp., the product should be considered safe after 30 days, when this pathogen became undetectable.