CHARACTERIZATION OF ENTEROBACTERIACEAE STRAINS ISOLATED DURING INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OF DRY-CURED HAMS

Growth trends for the Family Enterobacteriaceae were studied during th e industrial fast and slow dry-curing of hams. In both dry-curing proc esses, levels of the micro-organisms in that Family were low, as was t he water activity. In all, a combined total of 280 strains of microorg anisms belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae were isolated during the tw o dry-curing processes. The number of species identified decreased as curing progressed. At the end of the fast-curing process, Leclercia ad ecarboxylata was the only species present, whereas at the end of the s low-curing process, it was the most prevalent species, accompanied by Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae and Enterobacter agglomerans. The overall hygiene quality of the hams was good because of the techno logical characteristics of the dry-cured ham processes. (C) 1996 Acade mic Press Ltd.