The influence of surface mould on the safety and quality of traditional fermented sausages

Slavonski kulen i Slavonska kobasica su trajne kobasice koje se u seoskim domaćinstvima proizvode tradicionalnim tehnologijama, pri čemu se tijekom zrenja na površini proizvoda razvijaju plijesni. Cilj ovog rada bio je tradicionalnom i molekularnom metodom identificirati površinske plijesni te utvrditi njihov utjecaj na kvalitetu proizvoda i pojavnost mikotoksina okratoksina A (OTA) i aflatoksina B1 (AFB1). Reprenzentativnost uzorkovanja postignuta je odabirom pet proizvodnih lokaliteta na području Slavonije na kojima je pripremljeno 30 uzoraka Slavonskog kulena analiziranih nakon tri i šest mjeseci te 15 uzoraka Slavonske kobasice analiziranih nakon tri mjeseca proizvodnje. Prije faze zrenja, na tri uzorka namjerno su oštećeni ovitci. Ukupno je u oba proizvoda identificirano 322 izolata, uključujući 18 različitih vrsta plijesni, među kojima je dominirao rod Penicillium. Osim 11 Penicillium vrsta, izolirane su po dvije vrste iz rodova Aspergillus i Mucor te po jedna vrsta iz rodova Alternaria, Cladosporium i Eurotium. Identificirani su i mogući producenti OTA i AFB1, Penicillium verrucosum i Aspergillus flavus. OTA je određen u Slavonskom kulenu nakon šest mjeseci proizvodnje, a OTA i AFB1 u obje vrste uzoraka kojima su prethodno oštećeni ovitci. Istraživanje je pokazalo da je kontaminacija Slavonskog kulena i Slavonske kobasice mikotoksinima koje produciraju površinske plijesni moguća isključivo tijekom produženog zrenja ili kao posljedica oštećenosti ovitka.Slavonian kulen and Slavonian sausage are dry fermented sausages produced by traditional technologies in rural households, which results in the development of mould on the product surface during the ripening phase. The aim of this paper was to identify the surface moulds by the use of traditional and molecular methods and to determine their effect on product quality and occurrence of mycotoxins ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Representative sampling was achieved by selecting five production sites in Slavonia where 30 samples of Slavonian kulen were analyzed after three and six months and 15 samples of Slavonian sausage after three months of production. Before the ripening phase, the casings of three samples were deliberately damaged. A total of 322 isolates were identified in both products, including 18 different species of moulds, among which genus Penicillium dominated. In addition to the 11 Penicillium species, two species of Aspergillus and Mucor species and one species of Alternaria, Cladosporium and Eurotium were isolated. Also, possible producers of OTA and AFB1, Penicillium verrucosum and Aspergillus flavus, were identified. The OTA was determined in the Slavonian kulen after six months of production, and OTA and AFB1 in both types of samples that were previously damaged. The investigation has shown that the contamination of Slavonian kulen and Slavonian sausage with mycotoxins that produce surface moulds is possible only during an extended ripening or as a result of the casing damage