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Effect of microbial activities on stored raw buffalo hide
P N Shede1, P P Kanekar, A V Polkade
1Microbial Sciences Division, Agharkar Research Institute, G. G. Agarkar Road, Pune - 411 004, India.
Microbial activity rapidly increases in stored hides, causing significant biochemical changes like amino acid and fatty acid release. This biodegradation process offers insights for developing eco-friendly hide preservation methods beyond traditional salt curing.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Hide preservation is crucial for the leather industry.
- Traditional salt curing has environmental drawbacks.
- Understanding microbial degradation is key to developing alternatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the microbial and biochemical changes in hides during ambient storage.
- To assess the potential for developing new, eco-friendly hide curing agents.
Main Methods:
- Monitoring total bacterial load over time.
- Quantifying the release of hydroxyproline and tyrosine (amino acids).
- Measuring carbon dioxide evolution and free fatty acid release.
Main Results:
- Bacterial load increased from 6.1 to 8.8 log cfu/g within 24 hours.
- Proteolytic activity, mineralization, and lipolysis were confirmed by amino acid, CO2, and fatty acid release.
- Visible liquefaction of hides occurred within 96 hours of storage.
Conclusions:
- Ambient storage leads to complex, interrelated biodegradation of hides.
- The study provides data for formulating non-salt hide curing agents.
- Findings support the development of bio-based technologies for sustainable raw material preservation.
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