Food Control 77 (2017) 158e162

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Food Control
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodcont

Isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria from pastırma

€ a, Güzin Kaban a, Ozlem
Emel Oz € Barış b, Mükerrem Kaya a, *
a
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Atatürk University, 25240, Erzurum, Turkey
b
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Atatürk University, 25240, Erzurum, Turkey

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The present study was focused on isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria from pastırma (a
Received 25 August 2016 Turkish dry-cured meat product). In this regard, one hundred and six lactic acid bacteria were isolated
Received in revised form from pastırma obtained from fourteen different manufacturers and 16S rDNA sequencing was performed
30 December 2016
to identify these lactic acid bacteria isolates. Besides, samples were subjected to enumerations of lactic
Accepted 10 February 2017
Available online 11 February 2017
acid bacteria, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus, Enterobacteriaceae and yeast-mould and analysis of pH and
water activity (aw). As a result of 16S rDNA sequence analysis, 27.4%, 24.5% and 19.8% of isolates were
identified as Lactobacillus sakei, Weisella cibaria and W. confusa, respectively. Pediococcus pentosaceus
Keywords:
Pastırma
(5.7%), P. acidilactici (4.7%), Leuconostoc carnosum (3.8%), W. hellenica (2.8%), L. plantarum (1.9%),
Lactic acid bacteria L. paraplantarum (1.9%), L. curvatus (1.9%), W. halotolerans (1.9%), L. graminis (0.9%), L. carnosus (0.9%), Leu.
16S rDNA citreum (0.9%), Leu. mesenteroides (0.9%) were also isolated from pastırma samples. In pastırma samples,
pH the counts of Micrococcus/Staphylococcus, lactic acid bacteria and yeast-mould ranged between 5.28 and
7.69, 3.30 and 7.90, 2.30 and 6.42 log cfu/g, respectively. The count of Enterobacteriaceae was usually
determined as under the detectable level (<2 log cfu/g). pH and aw values of pastırma samples varied
from 5.29 to 6.65 and 0.862 to 0.924, respectively.
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction and proteolytic activities. Therefore, these microorganisms are

Pastırma, a traditional meat product in Turkey, is widely
consumed in the Middle East, Middle Asia and Eastern Europe. It is
produced from whole beef and water buffalo muscles and 16 or
more types of pastırma can be produced according to muscle type
used (Go € kalp, Kaya, & Zorba, 1999). In the production of pastırma,
whole muscles are dry-cured, dried, pressed, and coated with paste
called çemen including fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum),
garlic, red pepper, paprika, and dried again. Heating and/or smok-
ing are not applied in the production of pastırma (Kaban, 2013).
Pastırma is classified as an intermediate moisture food and its
production takes about one month depending on the muscle size
used (Kaban, 2013; Kılıç, 2009).
Catalase positive cocci (mainly coagulase negative staphylo-
cocci) and lactic acid bacteria are generally dominant microflora in
€
pastırma (Aksu & Kaya, 2001; Erol, Ozdemir, & Kısa, 1998; Kaban,
€
2009; Ozdemir €
& Siriken, 1997; Ozdemir, lu, &
Şireli, Sarıahmetog
Inat, 1999). Catalase positive cocci have nitrate reductase, lipolytic
* Corresponding author. Tel.: þ90 442 231 2794; fax: þ90 442 231 5878.
E-mail address: mkaya@atauni.edu.tr (M. Kaya).
important for not only the formation of color and aroma but also
oxidative stability of pastırma (Kaban, 2013; Kaya & Kaban, 2010).
Lactic acid bacteria which have low lipolytic activity, produce
organic acid, mostly lactic acid. Due to these properties, lactic acid
bacteria contribute to improve sensory and textural properties. In
addition, they extend shelf life and increase microbial safety of the
final product (Kaban, 2009; Leroy & Vuyst, 2004).
Since pastırma is produced by traditional methods, lactic acid
bacteria count varies according to house flora and process condi-
tions. While lactic acid bacteria count is reported to vary between
€
104 and 108 cfu/g (El-Khateib, Schmidt, & Leistner, 1987; Ozdemir
et al., 1999), counts varying between 103 and106 cfu/g (Kaban &
Kaya, 2006) and between 102 and 107 cfu/g (Aksu & Kaya, 2001)
are also reported in some other studies. Generally, pH value does
not fall under 5.5 in pastırma, which does not include a true lactic
acid fermentation. However, lactic acid bacteria in pastırma is not
primarily considered in acid formation terms; they are rather
considered as an important part of the microflora because of their
other functional characteristics (Kaya & Kaban, 2010). Yet, there is
little information on the diversity of lactic acid bacteria in pastırma
€
(Ozdemir & Siriken, 1997; Dinçer & Kıvanc, 2012). Because of this,
this study aimed to isolate lactic acid bacteria from pastırma

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2017.02.017
0956-7135/© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
 € et al. / Food Control 77 (2017) 158e162
E. Oz 159

samples obtained from different manufacturers using traditional
production methods and identification of these lactic acid bacteria
via 16S rDNA sequence analysis. In addition, determination of lactic
acid bacteria, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus, Enterobacteriaceae and
yeastemould counts and pH and aw values of the samples were also
aimed.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Pastırma samples
“Sırt” (loin) type of pastırma, which is produced from
M. Longissimus dorsi muscle, produced by 14 different manufac-
turers applying traditional methods was used as the material of the
research. Two samples taken from each manufacturer within the
same production period were used in the sampling.
2.2. Water activity and pH analysis
Water activity (aw) value of the sample was determined using a
TH-500 aw sprint (Novasina, Switzerland) apparatus. To measure
the pH value of the samples, 10 g of sample was homogenized in
100 ml distilled water using ultra-turrax (IKA Werk T 25, Germany)
and then pH value was measured using a pH meter (ATI ORION 420,
MA 02129, USA) (Go €kalp, Kaya, Zorba, & Tülek, 1993).
identification, Gram positive and catalase-negative isolates were
kept at 80  C in tubes which including glycerol (30%).
2.5. Identification of isolates
Total genomic DNA was extracted from pure culture according to
Barış (2009). The 30 ml reaction mixture includes template DNA,
forward primer, reverse primer, dNTPs, Taq DNA polymerase and
PCR buffer. For the genotypic identification of the isolates, 16S rDNA
coding region sequence was selected and amplified by PCR.
UNI16S-L (50 -ATTCTAGAGTTTGATCATGGCTCA-30 ) and UNI16S-R
(50 - ATGGTACCGTGTGACGGGCGGTGTGTA-30 ) universal primers
were used to amplify the 16S-rRNA gene. The amplification pro-
gram was 94  C for 2 min (initial denaturation), and 36 cycles of
94  C for 1 min (denaturation), 56  C for 1 min (annealing), 72  C for
2 min (extension). The final extension step was performed in
5 min at 72  C. PCR products were investigated by agarose gel
electrophoresis (1%, w/v). For this purpose, PCR products were run
at 90 V for 75 min, and then they were scanned by gel documen-
tation system and analyzed with DNR Bio Imaging Systems Soft-
ware. 16S-rDNA sequence analysis of PCR products was determined
by the Macrogen company (Netherlands). Sequence results were
evaluated by Bioedit program, and then they were compared with
GenBank database sequences using Blast program (http://blast.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

2.3. Microbiological analysis 2.6. Statistical analysis

For microbiological analyses, decimal dilutions were prepared
using sterile physiological saline (0.85%). For the counts of lactic
acid bacteria, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus, Enterobacteriaceae,
yeast e mould were used MRS Agar (De Man, Rogosa Sharpe,
Merck), MSA (Mannitol Salt Red Agar, Oxoid), VRBD Agar (Violet
Red Bile Dextrose, Merck) and RBC Agar (Rose-Bengal Chloram-
phenicol, Merck), respectively. Plates of MRS and MSA agar were
incubated at 30  C for 48 h in the anaerobic and aerobic conditions,
respectively. Plates of VRBD agar were anaerobically incubated at
30  C for 48 h (Baumgart et al., 1993). RBC agar plates were aero-
bically incubated at 25  C for 5 days (Barmpalia et al., 2005). After
the incubation, counts of microorganisms were determined as log
cfu/g sample.
2.4. Isolation of lactic acid bacteria
Colonies from each sample were randomly selected from
countable MRS agar plates. After purification, isolates were tested
for Gram reaction, cell morphology and catalase production. For the
The results of analyses were tested by variance analysis (com-
plete randomized design) and differences between means were
evaluated by Duncan’s multiple range test using SPSS 20 statistic
software.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. aw and pH values of the pastırma samples
The average results of aw and pH values of the pastırma samples
obtained from different manufacturers are given in Table 1. Statis-
tically significant differences among manufacturers were detected
in terms of aw values. aw values were found to be 0.90 or lower in a
great majority of manufacturers. Leistner (1988) has reported that
aw is an important hurdle effect for the microbiological stability of
pastırma and emphasized that aw value should be between 0.85
and 0.90 in a quality pastırma. In this study, aw values varied be-
€
tween 0.862 and 0.924. Ozdemir et al. (1999) reported that the
average aw value of pastırma samples obtained from local markets

Table 1
The average results of water activity (aw), pH and microbiological analyses (log cfu/g) of the pastırma samples obtained from different manufacturers (mean ± std. deviation).

Manufacturer aw pH Lactic Acid Bacteria Micrococcus/Staphylococcus Yeast-Mould Enterobacteriaceae

1 0.894 ± 0.001cd 5.88 ± 0.05de 5.18 ± 0.11i 7.34 ± 0.04bc 2.60 ± 0.04g <2
2 0.919 ± 0.002ab 5.77 ± 0.01ef 6.40 ± 0.08e 5.90 ± 0.07f 3.48 ± 0.17f <2
3 0.901 ± 0.001cd 6.00 ± 0.01cd 7.04 ± 0.04c 6.84 ± 0.06d 6.42 ± 0.01a <2
4 0.889 ± 0.005de 5.86 ± 0.03e 6.88 ± 0.04d 6.33 ± 0.08e 2.30 ± 0.00h <2
5 0.924 ± 0.014a 5.79 ± 0.01ef 7.44 ± 0.04b 6.31 ± 0.11e 4.30 ± 0.06e <2
6 0.918 ± 0.007ab 5.29 ± 0.09g 7.80 ± 0.01a 6.76 ± 0.06d 4.81 ± 0.08d 2.30 ± 0.00
7 0.866 ± 0.004f 6.65 ± 0.06a 6.00 ± 0.07g 6.41 ± 0.07e 2.70 ± 0.05g <2
8 0.899 ± 0.016cd 5.70 ± 0.16f 7.90 ± 0.00a 7.69 ± 0.05a 5.79 ± 0.04b 4.54 ± 0.04
9 0.916 ± 0.004ab 5.33 ± 0.07g 7.44 ± 0.05b 6.72 ± 0.00d 6.36 ± 0.09a <2
10 0.900 ± 0.001cd 6.04 ± 0.01bc 5.74 ± 0.06h 7.22 ± 0.06c 3.41 ± 0.03f <2
11 0.863 ± 0.001f 5.76 ± 0.01ef 5.15 ± 0.07i 6.00 ± 0.01f 5.11 ± 0.00c <2
12 0.906 ± 0.002bc 6.54 ± 0.00a 3.30 ± 0.03k 7.67 ± 0.04a 5.23 ± 0.03c <2
13 0.862 ± 0.003f 6.10 ± 0.04bc 6.17 ± 0.09f 7.39 ± 0.09b 3.58 ± 0.13f <2
14 0.876 ± 0.003ef 6.14 ± 0.03b 4.63 ± 0.04j 5.28 ± 0.03g 3.48 ± 0.06f <2

a-k: Any two means in the same column having the same letters in the same section are not significantly different at P > 0.05.
160 € et al. / Food Control 77 (2017) 158e162
E. Oz

was 0.89. Due to low level of water activity, pastırma can be stored
9 months without refrigeration (Kaban, 2013).
As seen in Table 1, pH values of the samples ranged between
5.29 and 6.65. According to the results of the statistical analysis,
there are significant differences among manufacturers. According
to Turkish Food Codex Communique  on Meat and Meat Products,
pH value of pastırma should be lower than 6.0 (Anon, 2012).
Average pH value was found to be 6 or over 6 in six different
manufacturers (Table 1). The reason of high pH value that is seen at
certain samples could be due to usage of raw material with dark-
firm-dry (DFD) character. On the other hand, Leistner (1988) sug-
gested that pH value of pastırma should not have been below 5.5 in
terms of organoleptic properties. In the present study, average pH
values for two manufacturers were found below 5.5. Aksu and Kaya
(2001) found that pH value of pastırma samples obtained from local
markets varied between 5.68 and 6.00. Ozdemir € et al. (1999)
reported that the average pH value of pastırma samples obtained
from local markets was 5.5. Similarly, Kaban (2009) found that pH
value of pastırma produced by the traditional method was above
5.5.
3.2. Microbiological properties
Microbiological results (log cfu/g) of the pastırma samples ob-
tained from different manufacturer are also given in Table 1. In
samples, the counts of Micrococcus/Staphylococcus, lactic acid bac-
teria and yeast-mould ranged between 5.28 and 7.69, 3.30 and 7.90,
and 2.30 and 6.42, respectively. The count of Enterobacteriaceae
was determined as under the detectable level (<2 log cfu/g) except
for two manufacturers (manufacturer 6 and 8). The studies have
demonstrated that Enterobacteriaceae do not survive during
pastırma processing (Aksu & Kaya, 2001; Kaban, 2009). The present

Table 2
Identification of lactic acid bacteria isolates by 16S rDNA sequence analysis.

Strain number Strain % Identity Strain number Strain % Identity

1.1 W. cibaria 100 7.6 L. sakei 99

1.2 P. acidilactici 100 7.7 W. confusa 96
1.3 W. confusa 100 7.8 L. curvatus 99
1.4 W. cibaria 99 8.1 L. sakei 100
1.5 P. acidilactici 100 8.2 W. cibaria 99
1.6 L. sakei 99 8.3 W. cibaria 100
2.1 P. acidilactici 99 8.4 W. confusa 100
2.2 L. sakei 100 8.5 W. confusa 99
2.3 P. acidilactici 99 8.6 W. confusa 100
2.4 P. acidilactici 100 8.7 W. cibaria 99
2.5 L. graminis 100 8.8 L. sakei 99
2.6 L. sakei 99 8.9 L. sakei 99
3.1 W. cibaria 100 8.10 L. plantarum 99
3.2 L. carnosus 100 8.11 L. plantarum 99
3.3 W. cibaria 99 8.12 W. cibaria 99
3.4 L. sakei 100 9.1 L. sakei 99
3.5 W. confusa 100 9.2 W. cibaria 97
3.6 L. sakei 100 9.3 W. hellenica 100
3.7 L. sakei 100 9.4 L. sakei 99
3.8 L. sakei 97 9.5 W.cibaria 99
4.1 W. confusa 100 9.6 W. confusa 100
4.2 W. confusa 100 10.1 W. cibaria 100
4.3 P. pentosaceus 100 10.2 W. halotolerans 99
4.4 P. pentosaceus 99 10.3 L. curvatus 100
4.5 W. cibaria 100 10.4 L. sakei 100
4.6 W. confusa 100 10.5 W. halotolerans 99
4.7 W. cibaria 100 10.6 L. sakei 100
4.8 W. confusa 100 11.1 L. sakei 100
4.9 W. cibaria 100 11.2 L. sakei 99
4.10 W. cibaria 100 11.3 W. cibaria 100
4.11 W. cibaria 100 11.4 W. cibaria 99
5.1 L. sakei 100 11.5 W. cibaria 100
5.2 Leu. citreum 99 11.6 W. cibaria 100
5.3 P. pentosaceus 99 11.7 Leu. mesenteroides 100
5.4 W. cibaria 100 11.8 W. cibaria 100
5.5 W. cibaria 99 11.9 L. sakei 99
5.6 W. confusa 100 12.1 W. hellenica 100
5.7 W. confusa 99 12.2 W. cibaria 99
5.8 P. pentosaceus 100 13.1 W. hellenica 99
5.9 W. confusa 100 13.2 L. sakei 97
5.10 W. confusa 100 13.3 L. sakei 100
6.1 W. confusa 99 13.4 L. sakei 100
6.2 W. confusa 99 13.5 L. sakei 100
6.3 L. paraplantarum 99 13.6 L. sakei 100
6.4 L. paraplantarum 100 14.1 L. sakei 100
6.5 P. pentosaceus 99 14.2 Leu. carnosum 100
6.6 L. sakei 99 14.3 L. sakei 99
6.7 W. confusa 100 14.4 L. sakei 100
7.1 W. cibaria 99 14.5 W. confusa 98
7.2 W. confusa 99 14.6 W. confusa 99
7.3 W. cibaria 100 14.7 Leu. carnosum 100
7.4 P. pentosaceus 99 14.8 Leu. carnosum 100
7.5 L. sakei 100 14.9 Leu. carnosum 100
 € et al. / Food Control 77 (2017) 158e162
E. Oz 161

Table 3
Distribution of lactic acid bacteria strains as to manufacturers.

Manufacturers

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Total (%)
a
L. sakei 1 2 4 e 1 1 2 3 2 2 3 e 5 3 29 27.4
W. cibaria 2 e 2 5 2 e 2 4 2 1 5 1 e e 26 24.5
W. confusa 1 e 1 4 4 3 2 3 1 e e e e 2 21 19.8
P. pentosaceus e e e 2 2 1 1 e e e e e e e 6 5.7
P. acidilactici 2 3 e e e e e e e e e e e e 5 4.7
Leu. carnosum e e e e e e e e e e e e e 4 4 3.8
W. hellenica e e e e e e e e 1 e e 1 1 e 3 2.8
L. paraplantarum e e e e e 2 e e e e e e e e 2 1.9
L. plantarum e e e e e e e 2 e e e e e e 2 1.9
L. curvatus e e e e e e 1 e e 1 e e e e 2 1.9
W. halotolerans e e e e e e e e e 2 e e e e 2 1.9
Leu. mesenteroides e e e e e e e e e e 1 e e e 1 0.9
L. graminis e 1 e e e e e e e e e e e e 1 0.9
L. carnosus e e 1 e e e e e e e e e e e 1 0.9
Leu. citreum e e e e 1 e e e e e e e e e 1 0.9
Total 6 6 8 11 10 7 8 12 6 6 9 2 6 9 106
a
Number of isolates.

study has demonstrated once again that lactic acid bacteria and
catalase-positive cocci are the two most important flora of
pastırma. While lactic acid bacteria were the dominant flora in
some pastırma samples, catalase positive cocci were the dominant
flora in others. Aksu and Kaya (2001) reported that the counts of
lactic acid bacteria, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus, yeast-mould
ranged between 2.78 and 7.89 log cfu/g (<2 log cfu/g in one sam-
ple), 4.0e7.45 log cfu/g, 2.0e5.76 log cfu/g in their samples,
respectively. They also found that the count of Enterobacteriaceae
was usually under the detectable limits. In another study carried
out on pastırma, it was determined that counts of lactic acid bac-
teria and Micrococcus/Staphylococcus varied between 4 and 8 log
€
cfu/g and 4e7 log cfu/g, respectively (Ozdemir et al., 1999). On the
other hand, in the present study, the high counts of yeast e mould
were also determined in some samples (manufacturers 3 and 9). In
addition, yeast can be survive in long ripened products with high aw
value (>0.85) (Kaya & Kaban, 2010).
A total of 106 lactic acid bacteria isolated from pastırma samples
obtained from 14 different manufacturers were identified by 16S
rDNA sequence analysis (Table 2). The rates of lactic acid bacteria
isolates based on the manufacturers were given in Table 3. 27.4% of
isolates were identified as Lactobacillus sakei. Weisella cibaria
(24.5%) and W. confusa (19.8%) were also identified at high rate in
pastırma microbiota. Once isolates were investigated in genus level,
four different bacteria genus composed from Weissella (49%),
Lactobacillus (34.9%), Pediococcus (10.4%) and Leuconostoc (5.6%)
were detected. Besides, P. pentosaceus (5.7%), P. acidilactici (4.7%),
Leu. carnosum (3.8%), W. hellenica (2.8%), L. plantarum (1.9%),
L. paraplantarum (1.9%), L. curvatus (1.9%), W. halotolerans (1.9%),
L. graminis (0.9%), L. carnosus (0.9%), Leu. citreum (0.9%), Leu. mes-
enteroides (0.9%) strains were also isolated at different rates from
the pastırma samples (Table 3).
L. sakei belong to the group of homofermentative lactic acid
bacteria was determined as predominant species in the pastırma.
Considered on drying temperatures of pastırma, the presence of
L. sakei as the predominant species may evaluate as an expected
result. L. sakei was detected in samples of all manufacturers except
for two manufacturers. Similarly, Dinçer and Kıvanc (2012) also
isolated the same species from pastırma. Ozdemir € and Siriken
(1997) characterized as L. sakei of 40 of 92 lactic acid bacteria iso-
lated from pastırma. Rantsiou et al. (2006) identified lactic acid
bacteria isolated from natural sausage through 16S rDNA sequence
analysis and found that main population of them consisted in
L. sakei, L. plantarum and L. curvatus.
Weissella species can widely be found in traditionally-produced
fermented vegetal and animal foods (Bjo € rkroth et al., 2002;
Kamboj, Vasquez, & Llasat, 2015). In the present study, 49% of the
isolates were determined as Weissella species, thus Weissella spe-
cies remained in the forefront in genus level of pastırma microbiota.
Weissella species are heterofermantatif lactic acid bacteria,
furthermore W. viridiscens, W. halotolerans and W. hellenica are
particularly important species found in meat and meat products
(Stiles & Holzapfel, 1997). Albano et al. (2009) isolated W. cibaria
species from fermented sausage called as “Alheria”. Lee et al. (2012)
has reported that some fecal-borne W. confusa strains have pro-
biotic abilities. On the other hand, W. confusa and W. cibaria are also
known to produce potential prebiotics (novel non-digestible oli-
gosaccharides and extracellular polysaccharides, mainly dextran)
(Fusco et al., 2015; Tingirikari, Kothari, & Goyal, 2014).
Pediococcus species are homofermantative lactic acid bacteria
and produce lactic acid from fermentable sugars. However,
P. pentosaceus also produces acetate and ethanol from hexoses and
pentoses (Kaban, Kaya, & Lücke, 2012). 4.7% and 5.7% of lactic acid
bacteria isolated from pastırma samples were identified as
P. acidilactici and P. pentosaceus, respectively. P. pentosaceus and
P. acidilactici are important species in fermented sausage produc-
tion as starter cultures (Axelsson, 2004). Danilovic et al. (2011)
reported that 18.4% of lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented
sausage was P. pentosaceus. Albano et al. (2009) also isolated both
P. pentosaceus and P. acidilactici from fermented sausage samples.
Six of 106 isolates were determined as Leuconostoc species. Four
of these isolates were identified as Leu. carnosum. The another
species identified were Leu. mesenteroides and Leu. citreum. Leu.
mesenteroides, Leu. lactis, Leu. carnosum are important Leuconostoc
species found in fermented foods. Danilovic et al. (2011) reported
that 37.1% of isolates obtained from fermented sausage was Leu.
mesenteroides. In another study, Leu. citreum and Leu. mesenteroides
species were also identified from traditional fermented meat
products (Oki, Rai, Sato, Watanabe, & Tamang, 2011).
L. sakei was isolated from all manufacturers except for two
manufacturers (manufacturer 4 and 12). 5 of 6 isolate isolated from
manufacturer 13 were identified as L. sakei (Table 3). At least three
isolate in manufacturers 3, 8, 11 and 14 were characterized as
L. sakei. W. cibaria that is belonged to Weissella genus was deter-
mined in all samples except for four manufacturers. On the other
hand, W. cibaria species were detected at significant levels in the
samples from manufacturers 4, 8 and 11. P. pentosaceus was iden-
tified only from manufacturers 4, 5, 6 and 7. In addition, it was also
162 € et al. / Food Control 77 (2017) 158e162
E. Oz
determined that the number of isolate in the samples from man-
ufacturers 4 and 5 was higher than that of 6 and 7 numbered
manufacturers. P. acidilactici was only identified from the samples
obtained from manufacturers 1 and 2. At the same time, it was the
dominant flora in manufacturer 2. Leu. carnosum that is one of the
Leuconostoc species was only specified in the sample obtained from
manufacturer 14 (Table 3).
Since pastırma production is carried out with traditional
methods, microflora of pastırma can change from manufacturer to
manufacturer. Results of the present study are supportive of this
statement. Moreover, L. sakei constitutes the dominant species in
pastırma. Another striking result of the research is the presence of
Weissella spp., which have the ability to be used as probiotics as
well as the ability to produce polymers with probiotic potential, in
the flora of pastırma. Because of this, it is thought that pastırma can
be a good source of probiotic microorganisms and future investi-
gation of isolates from this angle would be beneficial. On the other
hand, water activity in pastırma generally being under 0.90 implies
that the product is microbiologically stable and aw is the hurdle
effect for pastırma.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by Atatürk University research
center with Project No: 2012/416. Also, the author, Emel Oz, thanks
to TÜBITAK, National Graduate Scholarships Programme, No: 2211.
The financial supports of Atatürk University and TÜBITAK _ are
gratefully acknowledged.
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