Abstract
This study presents an approach to determine the survival of diverse foodborne pathogens (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica) in three Aloreña de Málaga table olive commercial presentations (fresh green, traditional, and cured olives). The microbial survival in this green natural table olive speciality was fit using a log-linear regression model implemented in GInaFIT. The contents of sugars, phenolic compounds, additives, salt, pH, and levels of autochthonous microorganisms differed among presentations and affected the survival of microorganisms. The inoculated initial populations of pathogens (7–8 log10 CFU/mL brine) decreased rapidly and, 48 h after inoculation, their counts were always below the detection limit (<1.3 log10 CFU/mL), except for S. aureus in the fresh green presentation which was ∼ 5.0 log10 CFU/mL. The highest maximum death rates (kmax) and lowest periods for 4 log10 reductions (4Dr) were observed in cured olives but decreased and increased, respectively, from the traditional to the fresh green presentations. L. monocytogenes and S. aureus were the most resistant species. The multivariate analysis showed that high concentrations of compounds released from the olives (sugars and phenols) were positively associated to 4Dr and negatively to kmax. Conversely, the presence of preservatives reduced 4Dr. This study, executed in commercial products, pointed out that packaged table olives are adverse habitats for foodborne pathogens with their effects being presentation dependent. The survival of S. aureus was particularly long in green fresh Aloreña de Málaga table olives packaged without preservatives; therefore, its changes in this presentation still requires further in-deep research.
Highlights
Table olives are one of the most traditional fermented vegetables in the Mediterranean basin, with a worldwide production of around 2.5 million tons per year (International Olive Oil Council [IOC], 2016)
The 3 Aloreña de Málaga table olive presentations showed clear differences among them (Table 1); the highest total sugar content was found in the fresh green (9.6 g/L), followed by traditional (5.7 g/L), and cured olives (0.42 and 2.03 g/L in samples A and B, respectively), being glucose and fructose the major components
The highest total phenolic compound was observed in the fresh green presentation (8.9 mM) and decreased from traditional (3.9 mM) to cured olives (3.4 and 2.9 mM in samples A and B, respectively)
Summary
Table olives are one of the most traditional fermented vegetables in the Mediterranean basin, with a worldwide production of around 2.5 million tons per year (International Olive Oil Council [IOC], 2016). In addition to natural/chemical treatments, the diverse microbial growth that takes place during storage/fermentation makes them edible and is responsible for their appreciated organoleptic properties The control of such microbiota is essential during processing and, notably, after packaging to guarantee the stability and safety of the final product, especially in those presentations commercialized without heat treatments (Garrido-Fernández et al, 1997). The Aloreña de Málaga cultivar is processed as natural cracked green olives under a Spanish Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) recognized by the European Union (DOUE, 2012) Their peculiar characteristics are related to the production area (climate, edaphology, and geographical location) and presentation, which make their products different from other green table olives. Aloreña de Málaga usually contains low-to-moderate concentrations of oleuropein (the main bitter compound of olives), and for this reason, is not subjected to lye debittering This speciality is frequently seasoned with fennel, thyme, garlic, and pepper, making it rich in aroma. Safety issues related to the hygienic conditions and studies on the prevalence of foodborne pathogens in these table olives (ready to eat) are of particular interest for risk assessment during storage/shelf life
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