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NaOH-debittering induces changes in bacterial ecology during table olives fermentation
Luca Cocolin1, Valentina Alessandria, Cristian Botta
1Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari, Università degli Studi di Torino, Grugliasco, Italy. lucasimone.cocolin@unito.it
Plos One
|August 13, 2013
Summary
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment accelerates table olive fermentation but alters bacterial communities. Untreated olives show distinct surface and brine ecosystems, while NaOH treatment favors enterobacteria over diverse Lactobacillus species.
Area of Science:
- Food Microbiology
- Fermentation Science
- Applied Microbiology
Background:
- Limited data exists on sodium hydroxide (NaOH) impact on table olive fermentation dynamics.
- Understanding microbial shifts is crucial for optimizing olive processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of NaOH treatment on table olive fermentation and bacterial biodiversity.
- To compare microbial ecosystems on treated versus untreated olives.
Main Methods:
- Polyphasic approach combining culture-dependent and culture-independent analyses.
- High-throughput sequencing for bacterial biodiversity assessment.
- Microbial counts and biotype analysis.
Main Results:
- NaOH treatment prompted faster fermentation start but did not alter overall microbial group counts.
- Untreated olives exhibited distinct surface and brine bacterial ecosystems.
- NaOH treatment homogenized ecosystems and shifted dominance from halophilic bacteria and Lactobacillus to Enterobacteria.
- Higher Lactobacillus plantarum biodiversity was observed in untreated fermentations.
Conclusions:
- NaOH treatment significantly alters table olive bacterial ecology, favoring Enterobacteria.
- The distinct microbial niches on untreated olives are eliminated by NaOH treatment.
- Further research into Lactobacillus plantarum biotypes during olive debittering is warranted.
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