Shelf Life Determination of Sliced Portuguese Traditional Blood Sausage—Morcela de Arroz de Monchique through Microbiological Challenge and Consumer Test |
| |
| Authors: | Jorge A Pereira Pedro Silva Teresa J S Matos Luís Patarata |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Dept. of Food Engineering, Inst. Superior de Engenharia, Univ. of Algarve, Campus da Penha, Estrada da Penha, Faro, Portugal;2. CEER – Biosystems Engineering, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisbon, Portugal;3. CECAV, Centro de Ciência Animal e Veterinária, Univ. de Trás‐os‐Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, Vila Real, Portugal;4. Dept. of Science and Biosystems Engineering, Inst. Superior de Agronomia, Univ. of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisbon, Portugal |
| |
| Abstract: | Morcela de Arroz (MA) is a ready‐to‐eat blood and rice cooked sausage produced with pork, blood, rice, and seasonings, stuffed in natural casing and cooked above 90 °C/30 min. It is commercialized whole, not packed, with a restricted shelf life (1 wk/0 to 5 °C). The objective of this work was to establish sliced MA shelf life considering both the behavior of L. monocytogenes through a microbiological challenge test (MCT) and the consumer acceptability of MA stored: vacuum packed (VP), modified atmosphere packed (MAP: 80% CO2/20% N2), and aerobic packed (AP). The MCT was conducted inoculating ±3 log CFU/g of L. monocytogenes cell suspension on the MA slices. Packaged samples were stored at 3 ± 1 °C and 7 ± 1 °C until 20 d. At 3 ± 1 °C, L. monocytogenes behavior was not affected by packaging or storage time. At 7 ± 1 °C, the pathogen increased nearly 1 log CFU/g in the first 4 d. L. monocytogenes populations in AP were higher (P < 0.05) than in MAP. The pathogen may grow to hazardous levels in the 1st days if a temperature abuse occurs. Considering the acceptability by the consumers, the shelf life of MA stored at 3 ± 1 °C was 4.4 d for AP, 8.1 d for VP, and 10.4 d for MAP. The sensory shelf life established based on sensory spoilage is shorter than the shelf life to maintain the population of L. monocytogenes in safe levels. |
| |
| Keywords: | blood and rice sausage Listeria monocytogenes microbiological challenge test packaging sensory shelf life |
|
|
