Carlos Pasqualin Cavalheiro1,2,3, Claudia Ruiz-Capillas1, Ana Maria Herrero1, Francisco Jiménez-Colmenero1, Tatiana Pintado1, Cristiano Ragagnin de Menezes3, Leadir Lucy Martins Fries3. 1. Department of Products, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos y Nutrición (ICTAN), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain. 2. Laboratório de Inspeção e Tecnologia de Carnes e Derivados (LabCarne), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência de Alimentos (PGAli), Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil. 3. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia dos Alimentos (PPGCTA), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Brazil.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chorizo is a high-value Spanish-type dry fermented sausage, highly appreciated by consumers. In this kind of product, Lactobacillus plantarum plays an important role in the fermentation process and can also be considered as a probiotic. The impact of different strategies for incorporating probiotic L. plantarum into the physico-chemical, microbiological, and sensorial characteristics of chorizo sausages was studied. These strategies were: free cells (Cfc); alginate beads (Calg); water-in-oil emulsion (Cwo), and water-in-oil-in-water emulsion (Cwow). Proximate composition, weight loss, pH, aw , color, and microbiological behavior were evaluated during the ripening (20 days) of chorizo. RESULTS: The strategy of incorporating L. plantarum significantly affected the proximate composition, pH, and aw of sausages. However, the traditional red color of chorizo was maintained for all formulations. The incorporation of probiotics as free cells or encapsulated in alginate beads resulted in higher counts of lactic acid bacteria and L. plantarum, lower counts of Enterobacteriaceae, and in acceptable sensory scores. CONCLUSION: Overall, the quality of chorizo sausages was conditioned by the incorporation strategy, and the addition of probiotics in alginate beads (Calg) was the most effective strategy.
BACKGROUND:Chorizo is a high-value Spanish-type dry fermented sausage, highly appreciated by consumers. In this kind of product, Lactobacillus plantarum plays an important role in the fermentation process and can also be considered as a probiotic. The impact of different strategies for incorporating probiotic L. plantarum into the physico-chemical, microbiological, and sensorial characteristics of chorizo sausages was studied. These strategies were: free cells (Cfc); alginate beads (Calg); water-in-oil emulsion (Cwo), and water-in-oil-in-water emulsion (Cwow). Proximate composition, weight loss, pH, aw , color, and microbiological behavior were evaluated during the ripening (20 days) of chorizo. RESULTS: The strategy of incorporating L. plantarum significantly affected the proximate composition, pH, and aw of sausages. However, the traditional red color of chorizo was maintained for all formulations. The incorporation of probiotics as free cells or encapsulated in alginate beads resulted in higher counts of lactic acid bacteria and L. plantarum, lower counts of Enterobacteriaceae, and in acceptable sensory scores. CONCLUSION: Overall, the quality of chorizo sausages was conditioned by the incorporation strategy, and the addition of probiotics in alginate beads (Calg) was the most effective strategy.