Numbers and species of motile aeromonads during the manufacture of naturally contaminated Spanish fermented sausages (longaniza and chorizo)

The prevalence of aeromonads in the initial mixes of 14 batches of chorizo and longaniza obtained from three small- and middle-sized factories was 78. 5%, with counts ranging from >1.00 to 4.47 log(10) CFU/g. Only 2 of 10 mixt ure samples prepared at a large and modern processing plant yielded these o rganisms, with levels below 1 log(10) CFU/g. The hygienic status of factori es significantly affected incidence and counts. Of 39 presumptive isolates from glutamate starch penicillin agar, 36 were confirmed as motile aeromona ds and allocated to Aeromonas hydrophila (n = 24), A. veronii biovar sobria (n = 10), and A. caviae (n = 2). All of them were beta-hemolytic and capab le of growing at 5 degrees C. Regardless of initial contamination, aeromona ds were rapidly inactivated during the early stages of manufacture.