This study addresses the application of native, multiple strain starter cultures for standardization of game meat sausages production. The designed starter cultures consisting of two indigenous
...Lactobacillus sakei
and one
Leuconostoc mesenteroides
strains. These strains were used in both, the encapsulated and non-encapsulated form, in the game meat dough, individually or in combination, with eight treatments in total. Microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of the sausages were monitored throughout the manufacturing process, while sensory properties, biogenic amine content, and volatile compounds were evaluated in the final products. As revealed by rep-PCR, native starter cultures, encapsulated or non-encapsulated, had survived the whole sausage production process; however, to varying degrees. The application of indigenous decarboxylase negative
Lb. sakei
strains significantly (
P
< 0.05) reduced tyramine content, rapidly decreased pH and promoted the number reduction of
Enterobacteriaceae
and elimination of
E. coli
,
L. monocytogenes
and coliforms in ready-to-eat products. A total of 84 volatile compounds were identified by SPME–GC–MS in the eight treatment batches of game meat sausages, with only minor differences between the treatments. No significant differences in sensory traits (
P
> 0.05) between tested treatments were found, although treatment with the
Lb. sakei
strains received the highest scores for the sensory traits including cross-section, odour, hardness, aroma, and overall acceptability. Combination of multi-strain
Lb. sakei
starter cultures resulted in growth prevention of undesirable microbiota, reduction of tyramine content and increased the acceptability parameters of full-ripened sausages, which make them good candidates for industrial as well as artisanal application.
The two native Croatian donkey breeds (Littoral-Dinaric donkey and Istrian donkey) were marginalized in the second half of the 20th century and were on the verge of biological extinction. The aim of ...this study was to analyze the demographic and genetic status of two donkey breeds, two decades after the start of protection by analyzing their pedigrees and genetic structure. The average generation interval was higher for the Istrian donkey (7.73) than for the Littoral-Dinaric donkey (7.27). The rate of the effective number of founders compared with the effective number of ancestors in the Littoral-Dinaric donkey (1.03; 325/316) and in the Istrian donkey (1.08; 70/65) revealed no evidence of a genetic bottleneck. The inbreeding coefficient (F) and the average relatedness coefficient (AR) was lower in the Littoral-Dinaric donkey population (0.99%; 0.13%) than in the Istrian donkey population (1.77%; 1.10%). Genetic microsatellite analysis showed relatively high genetic diversity in Littoral-Dinaric donkey and Istrian donkey breeds, expressed by mean allele number (5.92; 5.85) and expected heterozygosity (0.650; 0.653). Genetic differentiation between the Littoral-Dinaric donkey and the Istrian donkey has not significantly increased in the last two decades (FST = 0.028). Genetic analysis also showed no evidence of high inbreeding or genetic bottleneck in both breeds. A total of 11 haplotypes including 28 polymorphic sites were found in 30 samples. Analysis of mtDNA has shown that the Littoral-Dinaric donkey and Istrian donkey breeds belong to the Equus asinus africanus group. The study confirms the need to use different analytical approaches to get a regular and complete insight into the situation and trends within and between breeds, so that the existing diversity can be fully preserved.
This study deals with the biomonitoring of cadmium (Cd) heavy metal in the three selected Tricholoma mushroom species collected from wild habitats of central and coastal Croatia. For this, mushroom ...(T. columbetta: n = 38, T. portentosum: n = 35, and T. terreum: n = 34) and surface soil samples were collected from nine forest localities of Croatia and analyzed for Cd concentration using inductively coupled plasma−optical emission spectrometry (ICP−OES) through the acid digestion method. The findings revealed that Cd was present in Tricholoma spp. and surface soil. However, the maximum mean Cd concentration (mg/kg dry weight) was recorded in T. portentosum (cap: 0.98; stipe: 0.72), followed by T. columbetta (cap: 0.96; stipe: 0.73) and T. terreum (cap: 0.81; stipe: 0.63). The bioconcentration factor (BCF) value (>1) revealed that the selected Tricholoma spp. had the potential for Cd accumulation. Moreover, the principal component (PC) and hierarchical cluster (HC) analyses were used to derive the interactions and similarities between Cd levels Tricholoma spp. and sampling localities. The multivariate analysis suggested that central sampling localities had higher Cd levels as compared to coastal localities. However, the daily intake of metals (DIM < 0.426) and health risk index (HRI < 1) showed that there was no potential health risk associated with the consumption of selected Tricholoma spp. The findings of this study are helpful to understand the Cd accumulation behavior of wild edible Tricholoma spp. collected from Croatia.
Characterization of five types of traditional Croatian dry-fermented sausages produced by family farms was performed via identification of superficial mycobiota, physicochemical, sensory, ...instrumental color, fatty acids & fat quality indices. Detailed characterization of these sausages aimed to achieve standardization of their production and composition and to establish and/or improve their specification protocols. Traditional sausages varied significantly (p < 0.05) in all analyzed parameters except for the number of mold isolates. Sausages coming from eastern Croatia had a greater mold species diversity, with the highest number of isolated mycotoxigenic species in Slavonian domestic sausage. Sensory evaluation showed good acceptability of all sausages. According to health recommendations, Kulenova Seka showed the most representable values for most of fat quality indices. The results suggest the need for certain modifications in fat & fatty acid composition and, to a lesser extent, in salt content, however not at the expense of product safety, quality and acceptability.
In this study, the influence of meat batter composition and sausage diameter on the development of microbiota and sensory traits of traditional, spontaneously fermented wild boar meat sausages are ...evaluated. This research also demonstrates how principal component analysis (PCA) can be used to relate product sensory properties to particular microbial genotype and to select potential starter or adjunct culture. Generally, similar microbiological results were obtained in all types of products. The undesirable microbiota was either not detected at any sausage production stage or its number decreased below the detection limit in ripened sausages. The low growth rate of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was consistent with the obtained pH and slow acidification rate. Although no differences in the composition of LAB species were noticed between sausage types (50S=50% wild boar meat in small casing, 50L=50% wild boar meat in large casing, 100S=100% wild boar meat in small casing), a clear separation based on LAB genotypes could be observed. Upon quantitative descriptive analysis, significant differences in sensory attributes between sausage types were established. According to the PCA, the overall acceptability traits of sausages are closely linked to one
genotype (LM_4). Of all tested technological properties, LM_4 strains showed remarkable acidification ability, lowering the pH from pH=5.41 to 3.74, and pronounced proteolytic activity on skimmed milk as well as antagonistic activity against
(DSM 20231) and
(LMG 17208). Lipolytic and haemolytic activities were not detected, and all analyzed strains were susceptible to tested antibiotics and possessed no biogenic amine genes.
The aim of this paper was to determine the effect of production season on sensory attributes of artisanal smoked dry-cured ham and to elaborate findings by non-parametric testing and principal ...component analysis. Artisanal drycured hams (73 samples) were collected on open market during five consecutive production seasons from the year 2011 to 2015, and quantitative descriptive analysis was performed. The results showed that 10 out of 18 sensory attributes were significantly different (P<0.05) between production seasons. Principal component analysis revealed that the first two principal components explained 45.53% of the total variance. It was found that the odor intensity and after-taste had the strongest positive correlations with the overall acceptability, whereas rancid flavor, mold aroma, bitterness and sourness had the strongest negative correlations. There was no clear separation of production seasons, and a lot of overlapping was observed because dry-cured hams within every production season originated from 12 to 18 individual producers on open market which raised product variability. However, it was possible to describe the seasonal pattern of every production season with specific sensory profile. It can be concluded that production season is a useful variable for describing changes of sensory traits in artisanal dry-cured ham manufacture.
Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi promjene i povezanost fizikalno-kemijskih pokazatelja, broja somatskih stanica (BSS) i kvalitete gruša tijekom laktacije ovaca Lacaune pasmine. Istraživanje je ...provedeno na osamnaest ovaca druge laktacije na ekološkoj farmi u Valaškoj Bistrici (Republika Češka). Utvrđeno je da je stadij laktacije statistički značajno utjecao na gotovo sve istraživane pokazatelje osim na pH, titracijsku kiselost, BSS i kvalitetu gruša. Sadržaj suhe tvari, masti, ukupnih proteina, kazeina, Ca i P se povećavao, a dnevna količina mlijeka i sadržaj laktoze su se smanjivali s trajanjem laktacije. Stadij laktacije imao je značajan utjecaj na vrijeme koagulacije koje se povećavalo s trajanjem laktacije. Produženje vremena koagulacije bilo je pozitivno povezano sa sadržajem suhe tvari, kazeina i Ca. Za razliku od tog, stadij laktacije nije značajno utjecao na kvalitetu gruša, kao što nisu ni utvrđene značajne korelacije između kvalitete gruša i ostalih pokazatelja, osim za vrijeme koagulacije (r=0,40). Može se zaključiti da su ovce Lacaune pasmine imale zadovoljavajuću proizvodnju mlijeka te fizikalnokemijske i tehnološke pokazatelje mlijeka usprkos ekstenzivnoj ishrani.
The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of heavy metals Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb i Cd in certain edible species of saprophytic fungi and the substrate on three area of sampling, and to ...assess the role of individual species as biological indicators of environmental pollution. In this study were used three species of wild edible mushrooms (Agaricus macroarpus Bohus, Clitocybe inversa (Scop. ex Fr.) Pat. and Macrolepiota procera (Scop. ex Fr.) Sing.,). Completely developed and mature fruiting bodies were collected at random selection in localities of Trakošćan, Jaska and Petrova gora. At the same time, the substrate soil samples were collected from the upper horizon (0-10). Determination of heavy metals in mushrooms and the substrate soil were carried out by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry. The data obtained were analysed by means of the statistical program SAS V9.2. Significant differences were found in the concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb and Cd between analysed species of mushrooms and localities of sampling (P < 0.05). The highest mean concentrations (mg*kg-1) of Zn (98.25), Cu (88.07), Ni (3.80), Pb (5.06) i Cd (4.12) in Agaricus macrocarpus were determined, while the highest contents of Fe determined in Macrolepiota procera (126.19 mg*kg-1). The average distribution rates of investigated heavy metals in anatomical parts of the fruiting body were significantly different. All mushrooms species were biological exclusors of Fe, Ni and Pb (BCF<1). On the other hand, bio-accumulation features were established in the investigated mushroom species for metals Cd (BCF>1). The consumption of investigated mushrooms poses no toxicological risk to human health due to low concentrations analysed metals.
The aim of this paper was to determine basic technological traits and sensory acceptance of dry game sausages with addition of bay leaf (Laurus nobilis L.) essential oil. For that purpose, three ...treatments were established: controlled C, L1 with addition of 0.005% of bay leaf essential oil, and L2 with addition of 0.01% of bay leaf essential oil. Measurement of pH, water activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values were performed at the end of production, while after storage for 2 months in vacuum and cold sensory hedonic test on 106 subjects was done. It was found that sausages with added bay leaf essential oil had significantly lower pH values (L1 and L2 treatment), water activity (L1 treatment) and TBARS values (L1 and L2 treatment) compared to control treatment C. Statistical analysis of sensory data revealed that sausages from C treatment were rated with significantly higher acceptability and willingness to buy than L1 and L2 treatments. It was established that sensory traits of sausages from treatment C were liked in 98.61% of consumers, from treatment L1 in 90.93%, while sausages from treatment L2 were liked in 85.71% of consumers. The highest proportion of consumers willing to buy sausages were in treatment C (91.11%), followed by sausages in treatment L1 (84.31%), and the lowest proportion were in treatment L2 (66.67%). Although beneficial impact of addition of bay leaf essential oil on technological traits was found, there was an unfavorable effect on sensory traits and willingness to buy sausages possibly due to the consumers’ existing expectation of sensory characteristics of dry game sausages.
Spontaneously fermented wild boar and deer meat sausages produced in Croatia were physicochemically and microbiologically investigated at different time points of their production. Final products ...resulted with pH and aw values between 5.04–5.53 and 0.83–0.87, respectively. The histamine concentration was below 5.0 mg/kg whereas tyramine content ranged from 47.3 to 219.0 mg/kg. A total of 917 isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were genotyped by rep-PCR and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Overall, Leuconostoc mesenteroides was identified as the most frequently isolated species (n = 259), followed by Lactobacillus sakei (n = 190) and Enterococcus casseliflavus (n = 106). Cluster analysis revealed a remarkable intraspecies diversity and a strong sausage-specific clustering of the LAB genotypes, indicating meat as a probable source of microbial diversity in sausages. 14.38% of LAB were positive for tyramine encoding gene and no other target biogenic amines genes were detected. Due to the elevated number of presumptive pathogens (E. coli. Enterobacteriaceae, B. cereus group, coliforms) in ready-to-eat sausages, 33.33% of products can be considered as inappropriate for human consumption.
•Le. mesenteroides and Lb. sakei were dominant species in artisan game meat sausages.•High intraspecies diversity and strong sausage-specific clustering of the LAB genotypes.•No histamine and elevated tyramine concentration measured in final products.•Only tyramine encoding gene and no other biogenic amines genes were detected.•High counts of presumptive pathogens in 33.33% of ready-to-eat sausages.