Survival of Salmonella Enteritidis during salting and drying of horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) fillets

Survival of Salmonella Enteritidis inoculated (5-6 log cfu/g) on horse mackerel fillets was studied during salting and/or drying processes at 4 degrees C for up to 70 days. Sample groups were as follows: group A (salt/fish = 80/100), group B (salt/fish = 30/100), group C (salted as group A and dried after 15 days), group D (salted as group B and dried after 15 days), and group E (dried without salting). The salt content increased in all groups with a maximum level of 29.36%. Final salt contents (%) were higher (P<0.05) in salted-dried groups (C and D) than the salted groups (A and B). Total reductions in a(w) values were found as group E>group D>group C>groups A and B (P<0.05). Salmonella survived 60 days in group A. 65 days in group B, 35 days in group C, 45 days in group D and 20 days in group E. Drying process following salting accelerated the elimination of this pathogen. Salmonella survived longer in salted samples than in salted-dried and dried samples. This work demonstrated that Salmonella may be inhibited by one of salting, drying and salting-drying techniques; however, processing periods should be long enough to reduce a(w) sufficient to inhibit this pathogen. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.