Characterisation of alheiras, traditional sausages produced in the North of Por...

• Author(s): Ferreira, Vânia ; Barbosa, Joana ; Silva, Joana ; Felício, Maria Teresa ; Mena, Cristina ; Hogg, Tim ; Gibbs, Paul ; Teixeira, Paula
• Date: 2007
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/2826
• Origin: Veritati - Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica Portuguesa
• Subject(s): Fermented sausages; Alheira; Pathogens
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

The objective of this study was the characterisation of alheiras, traditional Portuguese sausages, with respect to their microbiological safety. Thirty-eight lots from 17 producers were analysed. The microbiological status of the analysed product can be considered of concern in terms of food safety. Although Campylobacter spp. and Escherichia coli O157 were not detected in any sample,and Clostridium perfringens when present was not at levels of concern with reference to public health, Salmonella spp. were detected in 2 lots of industrially produced alheiras, and more than 60% of the lots analysed were contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes in concentrations higher than 100 cfu/g.