Oregano essential oil (OEO) was evaluated to determine its effect on the growth of natural contaminating molds on the surface of Spanish fermented sausage, the development of the internal microbial population of the sausage, and the physicochemical properties of the sausage. Results indicated a dramatic reduction in the contaminant molds. At the end of ripening, the main endogenous fungal species in control samples were Mucor racemosus (55%), Aspergillus fumigatus (20.6%), Cladosporium sphaerospermum (11.1%), Acremonium strictum (7.9%), and Aspergillus niger (4.7%). In samples treated with OEO, M. racemosus and A. fumigatus were the only species isolated; the treatment was more effective against A. fumigatus than against M. racemosus. The use of OEO to inhibit surface fungi did not affect the sausage drying process, pH, water activity, or color changes during ripening. These parameters change in a typical pattern for fermented dry-cured sausages during ripening. At the end of ripening, OEO-treated sausages had lower hardness and greater chewiness than the control but showed similar textural properties to sausages treated with potassium sorbate.
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Research Article|
January 01 2012
Role of Oregano (Origanum vulgare) Essential Oil as a Surface Fungus Inhibitor on Fermented Sausages: Evaluation of Its Effect on Microbial and Physicochemical Characteristics
CLEMENCIA CHAVES-LÓPEZ1;
CLEMENCIA CHAVES-LÓPEZ1
1Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti, Università di Teramo, Via Carlo Lerici, 1, 64023 Mosciano Stazione TE, Italy
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ANA MARÍA MARTIN-SAacute;NCHEZ;
ANA MARÍA MARTIN-SAacute;NCHEZ
2Departamento de Tecnología Agroalimentaria, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Orihuela Universidad Miguel Hernández, Carretera de Beniel, Km 3.2, E-03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
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EVANGÉLICA FUENTES-ZARAGOZA;
EVANGÉLICA FUENTES-ZARAGOZA
2Departamento de Tecnología Agroalimentaria, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Orihuela Universidad Miguel Hernández, Carretera de Beniel, Km 3.2, E-03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
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MANUEL VIUDA-MARTOS;
MANUEL VIUDA-MARTOS
2Departamento de Tecnología Agroalimentaria, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Orihuela Universidad Miguel Hernández, Carretera de Beniel, Km 3.2, E-03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
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JUANA FERNÁNDEZ-LÓPEZ;
JUANA FERNÁNDEZ-LÓPEZ
*
2Departamento de Tecnología Agroalimentaria, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Orihuela Universidad Miguel Hernández, Carretera de Beniel, Km 3.2, E-03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
* Author for correspondence. Tel: 34966749734; Fax: 34966749677; E-mail: j.fernandez@umh.es.
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ESTHER SENDRA;
ESTHER SENDRA
2Departamento de Tecnología Agroalimentaria, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Orihuela Universidad Miguel Hernández, Carretera de Beniel, Km 3.2, E-03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
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ESTRELLA SAYAS;
ESTRELLA SAYAS
2Departamento de Tecnología Agroalimentaria, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Orihuela Universidad Miguel Hernández, Carretera de Beniel, Km 3.2, E-03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
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JOSÉ ANGEL PÉREZ ALVAREZ
JOSÉ ANGEL PÉREZ ALVAREZ
2Departamento de Tecnología Agroalimentaria, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Orihuela Universidad Miguel Hernández, Carretera de Beniel, Km 3.2, E-03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
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J Food Prot (2012) 75 (1): 104–111.
Article history
Received:
April 14 2011
Accepted:
July 07 2011
Citation
CLEMENCIA CHAVES-LÓPEZ1, ANA MARÍA MARTIN-SAacute;NCHEZ, EVANGÉLICA FUENTES-ZARAGOZA, MANUEL VIUDA-MARTOS, JUANA FERNÁNDEZ-LÓPEZ, ESTHER SENDRA, ESTRELLA SAYAS, JOSÉ ANGEL PÉREZ ALVAREZ; Role of Oregano (Origanum vulgare) Essential Oil as a Surface Fungus Inhibitor on Fermented Sausages: Evaluation of Its Effect on Microbial and Physicochemical Characteristics. J Food Prot 1 January 2012; 75 (1): 104–111. doi: https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-11-184
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