Sausage Model Research Articles

Green and biodegradable composite films with novel antimicrobial performance based on cellulose

In order to obtain a safe and biodegradable material with antimicrobial properties from cellulose for food packaging, we presented a facile way to graft chitosan onto the oxidized cellulose films. The obtained films had a high transparent property of above 80% transmittance, excellent barrier properties against oxygen and antimicrobial properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The antimicrobial properties, mechanical properties, and water vapor permeability of composites are essential characteristics in determining their applicability as food-packaging materials. Moreover, using a sausage model, it was shown that the composites exhibited better performance than traditional polyethylene packaging material and demonstrated good potential as food packaging materials. The results presented a new insight into the development of green materials for food packaging.

Antioxidant potential of a unique LAB culture isolated from Harbin dry sausage: In vitro and in a sausage model

The lactic acid bacteria Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus curvatus, Lactobacillus brevis, and Lactobacillus fermentum isolated from Harbin dry sausage were evaluated for their potential antioxidant activity. The in vitro results showed that P. pentosaceus had the strongest H2O2 resistance, radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and inhibition of lipid peroxidation (P<0.05). Additionally, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in P. pentosaceus were higher than those observed in three other strains (P<0.05). The inoculation of P. pentosaceus in dry sausage significantly decreased the quantities of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance and carbonyl formation, while it also reduced the sulfhydryl loss in sausages (P<0.05). Furthermore, the lower content of volatile compounds that are related to lipid-oxidation, such as aldehydes, ketones and hydrocarbons, was observed in the P. pentosaceus inoculated sausage (P<0.05). These results demonstrate that P. pentosaceus has the potential to be employed as an antioxidant starter culture in fermented meat products.

Low molecular weight peptides derived from sarcoplasmic proteins produced by an autochthonous starter culture in a beaker sausage model

This study focuses on meat protein degradation by different starter cultures. Sausage models inoculated with Lactobacillus curvatus CRL705 and Staphylococcus vitulinus GV318 alone and as a mixture were incubated 10 days at 22°C. Low molecular weight peptides (<3kDa) derived from sarcoplasmic proteins were analyzed by a peptidomic approach. A diverse number of protein fragments were identified. The greatest peptides diversity was obtained when the mixed starter culture was present. Peptides mainly arose from myoglobin, creatine-kinase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase and fructose-biphosphate-aldolase (ALDOA). ALDOA hydrolysis was attributed to the mixed starter culture; the released peptides could act as biomarkers for a specific sausage technology. SignificanceThe selection of a specific autochthonous starter culture guarantees the hygiene and typicity of fermented sausages. The identification of new peptides as well as new target proteins by means of peptidomics represents a significant step toward the elucidation of the role of microorganisms in meat proteolysis. Moreover, these peptides may be further used as biomarkers capable to certify the use of the applied autochthonous starter culture described here.

Segregation of chromosome arms in growing and non-growing Escherichia coli cells.

In slow-growing Escherichia coli cells the chromosome is organized with its left (L) and right (R) arms lying separated in opposite halves of the nucleoid and with the origin (O) in-between, giving the pattern L-O-R. During replication one of the arms has to pass the other to obtain the same organization in the daughter cells: L-O-R L-O-R. To determine the movement of arms during segregation six strains were constructed carrying three colored loci: the left and right arms were labeled with red and cyan fluorescent-proteins, respectively, on loci symmetrically positioned at different distances from the central origin, which was labeled with green-fluorescent protein. In non-replicating cells with the predominant spot pattern L-O-R, initiation of replication first resulted in a L-O-O-R pattern, soon changing to O-L-R-O. After replication of the arms the predominant spot patterns were, L-O-R L-O-R, O-R-L R-O-L or O-L-R L-O-R indicating that one or both arms passed an origin and the other arm. To study the driving force for these movements cell growth was inhibited with rifampicin allowing run-off DNA synthesis. Similar spot patterns were obtained in growing and non-growing cells, indicating that the movement of arms is not a growth-sustained process, but may result from DNA synthesis itself. The distances between loci on different arms (LR-distances) and between duplicated loci (LL- or RR-distances) as a function of their distance from the origin, indicate that in slow-growing cells DNA is organized according to the so-called sausage model and not according to the doughnut model.

Proteolysis process in fermented sausage model systems as studied by NMR relaxometry.

Proton NMR relaxation analyses were performed in sausage model systems (SMS) at different manufacturing times (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 days) to evaluate changes in water distribution and mobility. Three different water populations were identified, T2b (5-10 ms), T21 (30-70 ms), and T22 (100-300 ms), and the progress of ripening could be followed as a shift toward shorter relaxation times. In addition, the combined effect of adding commercial proteases (Pronase E and aspartyl proteinase) on protein breakdown and structural integrity of sausage models (SMS+P) was investigated, resulting in the formation of a more fluid and less organized meat matrix that led to changes in water populations T2b2 and T22 compared with SMS. A very different protein degradation pattern between SMS and SMS+P was observed by means of SDS-PAGE and fluorescamine assay, supporting that some degree of protein aggregation is needed for the presence of the T22 population in fermented sausages.

Microbial successions are associated with changes in chemical profiles of a model refrigerated fresh pork sausage during an 80-day shelf life study.

Fresh pork sausage is produced without a microbial kill step and therefore chilled or frozen to control microbial growth. In this report, the microbiota in a chilled fresh pork sausage model produced with or without an antimicrobial combination of sodium lactate and sodium diacetate was studied using a combination of traditional microbiological methods and deep pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. In the untreated system, microbial populations rose from 10(2) to 10(6) CFU/g within 15 days of storage at 4°C, peaking at nearly 10(8) CFU/g by day 30. Pyrosequencing revealed a complex community at day 0, with taxa belonging to the Bacilli, Gammaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Clostridia. During storage at 4°C, the untreated system displayed a complex succession, with species of Weissella and Leuconostoc that dominate the product at day 0 being displaced by species of Pseudomonas (P. lini and P. psychrophila) within 15 days. By day 30, a second wave of taxa (Lactobacillus graminis, Carnobacterium divergens, Buttiauxella brennerae, Yersinia mollaretti, and a taxon of Serratia) dominated the population, and this succession coincided with significant chemical changes in the matrix. Treatment with lactate-diacetate altered the dynamics dramatically, yielding a monophasic growth curve of a single species of Lactobacillus (L. graminis), followed by a uniform selective die-off of the majority of species in the population. Of the six species of Lactobacillus that were routinely detected, L. graminis became the dominant member in all samples, and its origins were traced to the spice blend used in the formulation.

Influence of fresh date palm co-products on the ripening of a paprika added dry-cured sausage model system

Date palm co-products are a source of bioactive compounds that could be used as a new ingredient for the meat industry. An intermediate food product (IFP) from date palm co-products (5%) was incorporated into a paprika added dry-cured sausage (PADS) model system and was analysed for physicochemical parameters, lipid oxidation and sensory attributes during ripening. Addition of 5% IFP yielded a product with physicochemical properties similar to the traditional one. Instrumental colour differences were found, but were not detected visually by panellists, who also evaluated positively the sensory properties of the PADS with IFP. Therefore, the IFP from date palm co-products could be used as a natural ingredient in the formulation of PADS.

Generation of aroma compounds in a fermented sausage meat model system by Debaryomyces hansenii strains

The ability of seven Debaryomyces hansenii strains to generate aroma compounds in a fermented sausage model system was evaluated. The presence of the yeast, in the inoculated models, was confirmed by PCR amplification of M13 minisatellite. Volatile compounds production was analysed using Solid Phase Micro-Extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Forty volatile compounds were detected, quantified and their odour activity values (OAVs) calculated. All volatile compounds increased during time in the inoculated models although significant differences were found amongst them. Ester and sulphur production was strongly dependent on the strain inoculated. D. hansenii P2 and M6 strains were the highest producers of sulphur compounds where dimethyl disulphide and dimethyl trisulfide were the most prominent aroma components identified by their OAVs whereas, M4 showed the highest OAVs for ester compounds followed by the P2 strain. The meat model system has been useful to show the real ability of yeast strains to produce aroma compounds.

Evaluation of N-Nitrosopiperidine Formation from Biogenic Amines During the Production of Dry Fermented Sausages

The aim of this study was to determine the role of the precursors cadaverine (CAD) and piperidine in N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP) formation during the production of dry fermented sausages. The influences of pH (4.9 and 5.3), sodium nitrite (0 and 150 mg/kg), and ascorbate (0 and 500 mg/kg) were investigated by the use of a dry fermented sausage model. The biogenic amines and volatile N-nitrosamines were analyzed by HPLC-UV and GC-TEA. The major biogenic amines were tyramine, putrescine, and CAD, but their accumulation could be inhibited by NaNO2. When no amine precursors were artificially added, no meaningful N-nitrosamine contamination was observed. The artificial addition of 500 mg/kg cadaverine dihydrochloride (CAD·2HCl) could not provoke increased N-nitrosamine formation. In contrast, the addition of PIP (10 and 100 mg/kg) resulted in higher NPIP concentrations. No influence of pH was observed, but the NPIP formation was more pronounced when NaNO2 was added and sodium ascorbate was excluded from the formulation. The role of ascorbate as N-nitrosamine scavenger was only detectable during the early stage of production. In the end products, NPIP was degraded and the levels were no longer influenced by the initial addition of NaNO2 or ascorbate.

English

The plantaricin-producing&nbsp;Lactobacillus plantarum&nbsp;strain EC52 isolated&nbsp;from&nbsp;poto-poto, an ethnic maize fermented food, showed a good capacity to grow in a meat sausage model system. In meat mixtures, this strain caused strong acidification both in single culture and in coculture with inoculated pathogenic bacteria:&nbsp;Listeria monocytogenes&nbsp;and&nbsp;Escherichia coli&nbsp;O157:H7.&nbsp;L. plantarum&nbsp;EC52 had a strong inhibitory effect on&nbsp;L. monocytogenes&nbsp;in meat. The observed antagonism depended on the inoculum concentration of the pathogen, resulting in logarithmic reductions of up to 2.4 log cycles after 15 days of storage at 22&deg;C. Strain EC52 was also able to inhibit growth of&nbsp;Escherichia coli&nbsp;O157:H7 for at least 6 days. These results suggest that strain EC52 could be added in meat mixtures such as those used in the manufacture of fermented sausages as a protective culture to reduce the levels of&nbsp;L. monocytogenes&nbsp;and to inhibit proliferation of&nbsp;E. coli. &nbsp; Key words:&nbsp;Biocontrol,&nbsp;sausage model system,&nbsp;Lactobacillus,&nbsp;Listeria,&nbsp;Escherichia.

Assessment of tetracycline and erythromycin resistance transfer during sausage fermentation by culture-dependent and -independent methods

The food chain is considered one of the main routes of antibiotic resistance diffusion between animal and human population. The resistance to antimicrobial agents among enterococci could be related to the efficient exchange of transferable genetic elements. In this study a sausage model was used to evaluate the persistence of antibiotic resistant enterococci during meat fermentation and to assess horizontal gene transfer among bacteria involved in meat fermentation. Enterococcus faecalis OG1rf harbouring either pCF10 or pAMβ1 plasmid was used as donor strain. The analysis of population dynamics during fermentation confirmed that the human isolate E. faecalis OG1rf was able to colonize the meat ecosystem with similar growth kinetics to that of food origin enterococci and to transfer the mobile genetic elements coding for tetracycline and erythromycin resistances. Transconjugant strains were detected after only two days of fermentation and increased their numbers during ripening even in the absence of selective antibiotic pressure. By means of culture-dependent and -independent molecular techniques, transconjugant strains carrying both tetracycline and erythromycin resistance genes were identified in enterococci, pediococci, lactobacilli and staphylococci groups. Our results suggest that the sausage model provides a suitable environment for horizontal transfer of conjugative plasmids and antibiotic resistance genes among food microbiota.

High Stability of Stx2 Phage in Food and under Food-Processing Conditions

Bacteriophages (phages) carrying Shiga toxin genes constitute a major virulence attribute in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). Several EHEC outbreaks have been linked to food. The survival of such strains in different foods has received much attention, while the fate of the mobile Shiga toxin-converting phages (Stx phages) has been less studied. We have investigated the stability of an Stx phage in several food products and examined how storage, food processing, and disinfection influence the infectivity of phage particles. The study involved a recombinant Stx phage (Δstx::cat) of an E. coli O103:H25 strain from a Norwegian outbreak in 2006. Temperature, matrix, and time were factors of major importance for the stability of phage particles. Phages stored at cooling temperatures (4°C) showed a dramatic reduction in stability compared to those stored at room temperature. The importance of the matrix was evident at higher temperatures (60°C). Phages in ground beef were below the detection level when heated to 60°C for more than 10 min, while phages in broth exposed to the same heating conditions showed a 5-log-higher stability. The phages tolerated desiccation poorly but were infective for a substantial period of time in solutions. Under moist conditions, they also had a high ability to tolerate exposure to several disinfectants. In a dry-fermented sausage model, phages were shown to infect E. coli in situ. The results show that Stx phage particles can maintain their infectivity in foods and under food-processing conditions.

Effect of grape seed extract on oxidative, color and sensory stability of a pre-cooked, frozen, re-heated beef sausage model system

To compare grape seed extract (GSE) to common antioxidants in a pre-cooked, frozen, stored meat model system sausage was manufactured from lean beef (70%), pork fat (28%), and salt (2%). Antioxidants added for comparison with control included grapeseed extract (100, 300, and 500 ppm), ascorbic acid (AA, 100 ppm of fat) and propyl gallate (PG, 100 ppm of fat). Product was formed into rolls, frozen, sliced into patties, cooked on a flat griddle to 70 °C, overwrapped in PVC, then frozen at − 18 °C for 4 months. GSE- and PG-containing samples retained their fresh cooked beef odor and flavor longer (p < 0.05) than controls during storage. Rancid odor and flavor scores of GSE-containing samples were lower (p < 0.05) than those of controls after 4 months of storage. The L* value of all samples increased (p < 0.05) during storage. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) of the control and AA-containing samples increased (p < 0.05); those of GSE-containing samples did not change significantly (p > 0.05) over the storage period.

Effect of modified atmosphere and temperature abuse on the growth from spores and cereulide production of Bacillus weihenstephanensis in a cooked chilled meat sausage

The effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the germination and growth of toxin producing psychrotolerant Bacillus spp is not well described. A model agar system mimicking a cooked meat product was used in initial experiments. Incubation at refrigeration temperature of 8 °C for 5 weeks of 26 Bacillus weihenstephanensis including two emetic toxin (cereulide) producing strains showed that B. weihenstephanensis is sensitive to MAP containing CO 2. The sensitivity to 20% CO 2 was dependent on strain and oxygen level, being increased when oxygen was excluded from the MAP. Growth from spores was observed at the earliest within 2 weeks when 20% CO 2 was combined with 2% O 2 and in 3 weeks when combined with “0”% O 2 (the remaining atmosphere was made up from N 2). Results were validated in a cooked meat sausage model for two non-emetic and one emetic B. weihenstephanensis strain. The packaging film oxygen transfer rates (OTR) were 1.3 and 40 ml/m 2/24 h and the atmospheres were 2% O 2/20% CO 2 and “0”% O 2/20% CO 2. Oxygen availability had a large impact on the growth from spores in the MAP meat sausage, only the most oxygen restricted condition (OTR of 1.3 ml/m 2/24 h and “0”% O 2/20 % CO 2) inhibited growth of the three strains during 4 weeks storage at 8 °C. Cereulide production was undetectable during storage at 8 °C irrespective of choice of the MAP (quantified by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry). MAP storage at 8 °C for 1 and 3 weeks followed by opening of packages and temperature abuse for 1.5 h daily at 20 °C during 1 week resulted in increased cell counts and variable cereulide production in the meat sausage. A pre-history at 8 °C for 1 week in MAP with OTR of 1.3 or 40 ml/m 2/24 h and 2% O 2 resulted in cereulide concentrations of 0.816 – 1.353 µg/g meat sausage, while a pre-history under the most oxygen restricted condition (OTR of 1.3 ml/m 2/24 h, “0”% O 2/20 % CO 2) resulted in minimal cereulide production (0.004 µg/g meat sausage) at abuse condition. Extension of MAP storage at 8 °C for 3 weeks followed by abuse resulted in a substantially reduced cereulide production. Data demonstrates that MAP can be used to inhibit growth of a psychrotolerant toxin producing Bacillus spp. during chill storage at 8 °C, and substantially reduce the risk of emetic food poisoning at abuse condition . Results are of relevance for improving safety of ready to eat processed chilled foods of extended durability.

Survival of Listeria monocytogenes strains in a dry sausage model.

The survival of five inoculated Listeria monocytogenes strains (DCS 31, DCS 184, AT3E, HT4E, and HR5E) was studied in dry fermented sausages prepared using two different starter cultures (starter A and B) with or without a protective Lactobacillus plantarum DDEN 2205 strain. L. monocytogenes was detected throughout ripening in every sausage sample in which the L. plantarum DDEN 2205 strain had not been used. The use of either starter A, with a high concentration of protective culture, or starter B, with a low concentration of protective culture, resulted in L. monocytogenes-negative sausages after 17 days of ripening. Differential survival was noted among the L. monocytogenes strains during fermentation. Strains AT3E and DCS 31 survived in sausages with protective cultures more often than did the other strains, whereas HT4E and HR5E were inhibited during ripening by all starter and protective cultures used. Protective cultures such as L. plantarum may be used as part of a hurdle strategy in dry sausage processing, but variations in susceptibility of different L. monocytogenes strains can create problems if other hurdles are not included.

Identification of Lactobacillus sakei genes induced during meat fermentation and their role in survival and growth.

Lactobacillus sakei is a lactic acid bacterium that is ubiquitous in the food environment and is one of the most important constituents of commercial meat starter cultures. In this study, in vivo expression technology (IVET) was applied to investigate gene expression of L. sakei 23K during meat fermentation. The IVET vector used (pEH100) contained promoterless and transcriptionally fused reporter genes mediating beta-glucuronidase activity and erythromycin resistance. A genomic library of L. sakei 23K was established, and the clones were subjected to fermentation in a raw-sausage model. Fifteen in carne-induced fusions were identified. Several genes encoded proteins which are likely to contribute to stress-related functions. One of these genes was involved in acquisition of ammonia from amino acids, and the remaining either were part of functionally unrelated pathways or encoded hypothetical proteins. The construction and use of isogenic mutants in the sausage model suggested that four genes have an impact on the performance of L. sakei during raw-sausage fermentation. Inactivation of the heat shock regulator gene ctsR resulted in increased growth, whereas knockout of the genes asnA2, LSA1065, and LSA1194 resulted in attenuated performance compared to the wild-type strain. The results of our study are the first to provide an insight into the transcriptional response of L. sakei when growing in the meat environment. In addition, this study establishes a molecular basis which allows investigation of bacterial properties that are likely to contribute to the ecological performance of the organism and to influence the final outcome of sausage fermentation.

Form factors of exponential fields for two-parametric family of integrable models

A two-parametric family of integrable models (the SS model) that contains as particular cases several well known integrable quantum field theories is considered. After the quantum group restriction it describes a wide class of integrable perturbed conformal field theories. Exponential fields in the SS model are closely related to the primary fields in these perturbed theories. We use the bosonization approach to derive an integral representation for the form factors of the exponential fields in the SS model. The same representations for the sausage model and the cosine–cosine model are obtained as limiting cases. The results are tested at the special points, where the theory contains free particles.

Ricci flows and infinite dimensional algebras

AbstractThe renormalization group equations of two‐dimensional sigma models describe geometric deformations of their target space when the world‐sheet length changes scale from the ultra‐violet to the infra‐red. These equations, which are also known in the mathematics literature as Ricci flows, are analyzed for the particular case of two‐dimensional target spaces, where they are found to admit a systematic description as Toda system. Their zero curvature formulation is made possible with the aid of a novel infinite dimensional Lie algebra, which has anti‐symmetric Cartan kernel and exhibits exponential growth. The general solution is obtained in closed form using Bäcklund transformations, and special examples include the sausage model and the decay process of conical singularities to the plane. Thus, Ricci flows provide a non‐linear generalization of the heat equation in two dimensions with the same dissipative properties. Various applications to dynamical problems of string theory are also briefly discussed. Finally, we outline generalizations to higher dimensional target spaces that exhibit sufficient number of Killing symmetries.

Renormalization group flows and continual Lie algebras

We study the renormalization group flows of two-dimensional metrics in sigma models and demonstrate that they provide a continual analogue of the Toda field equations based on the infinite dimensional algebra G(d/dt;1). The resulting Toda field equation is a non-linear generalization of the heat equation, which is integrable in target space and shares the same dissipative properties in time. We provide the general solution of the renormalization group flows in terms of free fields, via Backlund transformations, and present some simple examples that illustrate the validity of their formal power series expansion in terms of algebraic data. We study in detail the sausage model that arises as geometric deformation of the O(3) sigma model, and give a new interpretation to its ultra-violet limit by gluing together two copies of Witten's two-dimensional black hole in the asymptotic region. We also provide some new solutions that describe the renormalization group flow of negatively curved spaces in different patches, which look like a cane in the infra-red region. Finally, we revisit the transition of a flat cone C/Z_n to the plane, as another special solution, and note that tachyon condensation in closed string theory exhibits a hidden relation to the infinite dimensional algebra G(d/dt;1) in the regime of gravity. Its exponential growth holds the key for the construction of conserved currents and their systematic interpretation in string theory, but they still remain unknown.

Strings on pp-waves and massive two dimensional field theories

We find a general class of pp-wave solutions of type IIB string theory such that the light cone gauge worldsheet lagrangian is that of an interacting massive field theory. When the light cone Lagrangian has (2,2) supersymmetry we can find backgrounds that lead to arbitrary superpotentials on the worldsheet. We consider situations with both flat and curved transverse spaces. We describe in some detail the background giving rise to the N=2 sine Gordon theory on the worldsheet. Massive mirror symmetry relates it to the deformed $CP^1$ model (or sausage model) which seems to elude a purely supergravity target space interpretation.