Mycopopulations and ochratoxin A: Potential contaminants of Petrovská klobása

Petrovská klobása is traditionally produced dry fermented sausage from the area of Bački Petrovac (Vojvodina Province, Serbia) that has been protected with designation of origin (PDO) according to Serbian legislation. Contamination of this kind of sausage casings by different mould species often occur during the production process, mainly during the ripening and storage. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify moulds that contaminate ingredients used for Petrovská klobása production and its casings during different phases of ripening and storage. Sampling was done during the production process and after 2, 6, 9, 11, 14, 34, 65, 90, 120, 217 and 270 days. Total mould counts in components ranged from 1.60 (mechanically mixed filling) to 4.14 (red hot paprika powder) log10 CFU/g, while the number of moulds isolated from sausage casing surfaces ranged from 0.01 (C3 sausage, 217th day) to 1.60 (C1 sausage, 270th day) log10 CFU/cm2. After total mould counts were determined, isolates were identified and classified in five genera for components (Penicillium - 7 species; Fusarium - 2 species; Aspergillus - 1 species; Alternaria - 1 species; Verticilium - 1 species) and 3 genera for casings surfaces (Penicllium - 3 species; Aspergillus - 1 species; Eurotium - 1 species). It was appointed that 83.33% of isolated species are potential producers of toxic metabolites. The analyses of ingredients and sausages on the presence of ochratoxin A, following the ELISA method, gave the negative results

Effect of plant extracts of Kitaibelia vitifolia on antioxidant activity, chemical characteristics, microbiological status and sensory properties of Pirotski Kachkaval cheese

© 2015, Association of Chemists and Chemical Engineers of Serbia. All rights reserved. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of cheese (Pirotski Kachkaval) fortification by polyphenols attributed to Kitaibelia vitifolia ethanol herb extract, applied in two different manners (added to the cheese curd after texturizing or sprayed on surface of cheese). Investigation of the used antioxidant effects of polyphenols, physic-chemical composition, microbiological quality and sensory properties of Pirotski Kachkaval was undertaken. Antioxidant activity of conventional and fortified cheese was evaluated by five contemporary and compatible methods, and revealed a slight emphasis on phenol-linked antioxidant activity of fortified samples of cheese in comparison to samples of the control group. Fortified Pirotski Kachkaval had higher sensory evaluation scores than the controls. Statistically significant (P 0.05)