Survival of Salmonella Enteritidis during salting and drying of horse mackerel ( Trachurus trachurus) fillets

• Published in: International journal of food microbiology 2010-04, Vol.139 (1), p.36-40
• Main Authors: Mol, Suhendan, Cosansu, Serap, Ucok Alakavuk, Didem, Ozturan, Samime
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; bacterial contamination; Biological and medical sciences; Desiccation; Drying; Fish; fish fillets; fish processing; food analysis; food composition; food contamination; Food engineering; Food industries; Food Microbiology; Food Preservation - methods; food processing quality; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Horse mackerel; Microbial Viability; pathogen survival; Perciformes - microbiology; Salmonella; Salmonella enteritidis; Salmonella enteritidis - drug effects; salted fish; Salting; Scomber; Sodium Chloride - pharmacology; Trachurus; Trachurus trachurus; Water activity
• ISSN: 0168-1605; 1879-3460
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2010.01.046

Survival of Salmonella Enteritidis inoculated (5–6 log cfu/g) on horse mackerel fillets was studied during salting and/or drying processes at 4 °C for up to 70 days. Sample groups were as follows: group A (salt/fish = 80/100), group B (salt/fish = 30/100), group C (salted as group A and dried after 15 days), group D (salted as group B and dried after 15 days), and group E (dried without salting). The salt content increased in all groups with a maximum level of 29.36%. Final salt contents (%) were higher ( P < 0.05) in salted–dried groups (C and D) than the salted groups (A and B). Total reductions in a w values were found as group E > group D > group C > groups A and B ( P < 0.05). Salmonella survived 60 days in group A, 65 days in group B, 35 days in group C, 45 days in group D and 20 days in group E. Drying process following salting accelerated the elimination of this pathogen . Salmonella survived longer in salted samples than in salted–dried and dried samples. This work demonstrated that Salmonella may be inhibited by one of salting, drying and salting–drying techniques; however, processing periods should be long enough to reduce a w sufficient to inhibit this pathogen.