Effectiveness of Commercial Organic Acids＊ Mixture (AcetolacTM) to Extend the Shelf Life and Enhance the Microbiological Quality of Merguez Sausages

作者：Bouchra El Ayachi; Ahmed Daoudi; Noreddine Benkerroum

来源：American Journal of Food Technology, 2007.

• AcetolacTM
• coliforms
• fecal streptococci
• Staphylococcus aureus
• sulfite reducing clostridia
• merguez
• shelf life

The effect of the addition of organic acids on the shelf life and on the hygienic quality of Merguez sausages was studied. A commercial organic acid; AcetolacTM consisting of a mixture of sodium lactate (90%) and sodium acetate (10%) was added at different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15 or 20 g kg-1) to the butter mixture for sausage making. Microbiological enumerations (total aerobic count, coliforms, fecal streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus and sulfite reducing clostridia) along with the pH and Total Volatile Basic nitrogen (TBV-N) were monitored during storage at refrigeration temperature (~8～C) for 15 days. The results showed that the addition of organic acids reduced significantly (p%26lt;0.05) the microbiological counts during the first three days of storage and such an effect increased with the concentration of added AcetolacTM. Thereafter, a significant (p%26lt;0.05) increase in the colony forming units (cfus) of all the bacterial groups enumerated was recorded with the exception of S. aureus whose cfus remained practically constant. Concomitantly, the pH and TBV-N content have increased throughout the whole period of storage. As for the shelf life, control samples (without added AcetolacTM) were altered at day 5 of cold storage as judged by a sensory panel on the basis of perceivable sensory attributes. However, such perceivable alterations were delayed at least 5 days in samples treated AcetolacTM at levels ranging between 10 and 20 g kg-1.