INFLUENCE OF MEAT PROCESSING AND MEAT STARTER MICROORGANISMS ON THE DEGRADATION OF ORGANOCHLORINE CONTAMINANTS

The influence of processing of different dry-cured sausages on the deg radation of organochlorine pesticide residues such as hexachlorobenzen e (HCB), alpha-, beta-, gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), and p,p'-DD E was investigated. The residual contamination was analyzed at differe nt stages of the sausage's ripening by capillary gas-liquid chromatogr aphy with electron capture detector. Furthermore, the degradative capa bility of the microorganisms used as starters in the manufacture of su ch meat products (Pediococcus acidilactici, Pediococcus pentosaceus, a nd Micrococcus varians) was studied in vitro. The M. varians strain wa s able to degrade some of the compounds tested. Significant reductions (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01) of HCB (12.7%) and p,p'-DDE (17.7%) were obse rved. However, the technological process of curing did not exert any s ignificant effect on the residue levels (p > 0.05).