Sj. Andersen, COMPOSITIONAL CHANGES IN SURFACE MYCOFLORA DURING RIPENING OF NATURALLY FERMENTED SAUSAGES, Journal of food protection, 58(4), 1995, pp. 426-429
Changes in the composition of the surface mycoflora during ripening of
naturally fermented sausages were examined. The samples were collecte
d from small-scale production plants in Northern Italy. In the first p
art of the ripening process yeast dominated the mycoflora and constitu
ted more than 95% (colony forming units [CFU]). After 2 weeks' ripenin
g, yeast and molds were present in equal quantities. The molds continu
ed to increase in numbers and at the end of processing the result was
a more than 95% dominance. The genus Penicillium dominated the mycoflo
ra at the end of the ripening process. Penicillium nalgiovense, a spec
ies frequently used as a starter culture, constituted 50% of the molds
and was found to occur naturally in the environment. Four species, Pe
nicillium olsonii, Penicillium spathulatum, Penicillium oxalicum and P
enicillium capsulatum, that have not been isolated from this environme
nt before constituted, respectively 15%, 5%, 3%, and about 1% of the m
ycoflora. Also, Penicillium species that are known as potential produc
ers of mycotoxins were isolated; e.g., Penicillium verrucosum and Peni
cillium commune constituted 5 and 3% of the mycoflora. It was shown th
at six out of nine isolates of P. verrucosum produced ochratoxin A and
one isolate produced citrinin. One isolate of P. commune was examined
and shown to produce cyclopiazonic acid. A large number, 53, of Penic
illium nalgiovense isolates were examined, but no known mycotoxins wer
e shown to be produced after growth on synthetic agar media.