Antifungal properties of fermentates and their potential to replace sorbate and propionate in pound cake

S Samapundo; F Devlieghere; A Vroman; M Eeckhout

doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2016.08.020

Antifungal properties of fermentates and their potential to replace sorbate and propionate in pound cake

Int J Food Microbiol. 2016 Nov 21:237:157-163. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2016.08.020. Epub 2016 Aug 16.

Authors

S Samapundo¹, F Devlieghere², A Vroman³, M Eeckhout⁴

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Applied Mycology (MYCOLAB), Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaeryckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium; Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Preservation, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium. Electronic address: Simbarashe.Samapundo@UGent.be.
² Laboratory of Applied Mycology (MYCOLAB), Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaeryckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium; Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Preservation, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
³ Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Preservation, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
⁴ Laboratory of Applied Mycology (MYCOLAB), Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaeryckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium.

PMID: 27574008
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2016.08.020

Abstract

The major objective of this study was to assess the antifungal activities of commercially available 'clean label' fermentates and their potential to replace the preservative function of sorbate and propionate in cake. This study was performed in two parts. In the first part of the study the inhibitory activities of selected fermentates - FA, FB, FC and FD - towards Aspergillus tritici and Aspergillus amstelodami were assessed as a function of pH (5.0-6.5) on malt extract agar (MEA). In the second part of the study, challenge, shelf-life and sensorial tests were used to determine the suitability of these fermentates to replace potassium sorbate and calcium propionate in quarter pound cake. All the fermentates evaluated in this study all had significant (p<0.05) inhibitory activities towards A. tritici and A. amstelodami within the recommended dosage range for application in bakery products. In all cases, the inhibitory activity of the fermentates increased with a decrease in the pH and an increase in concentration. FC was generally the most inhibitory whilst FD was the least inhibitory. Significant (p<0.05) synergistic interactions were determined to occur between the effects of pH and concentration for all fermentates evaluated in this study. The sensorial tests with FC showed that cakes produced with ≤1% FC (on basis of the batter) did not differ significantly (p>0.05) in flavour from the reference cake (0.5% calcium propionate and 0.54% potassium sorbate). However, the challenge and shelf-life tests showed that cakes produced with ≤1% FC were not as microbiologically shelf-stable as the reference cake, especially when sliced. Therefore, it can be concluded that whilst fermentates have appreciable antifungal effects, their use could potentially result in reduced shelf-stabilities. Robust challenge and shelf-life tests would be recommended before the marketing of cakes were propionate and/or sorbate has been replaced to ensure accurate shelf-lives are stated.

Keywords: Antifungal activity; Aspergillus amstelodami; Aspergillus tritici; Cake; Fermentates; Sensorial quality.

MeSH terms

Agar
Aspergillus / drug effects*
Bread / microbiology*
Fermentation*
Food Industry
Food Microbiology*
Food Preservation
Food Preservatives / pharmacology*
Fungicides, Industrial / pharmacology
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Propionates / chemistry*
Sorbic Acid / pharmacology

Substances

Food Preservatives
Fungicides, Industrial
Propionates
calcium propionate
Agar
Sorbic Acid