New procedures for the preservation stage of ripe olives from Hojiblanca cultivar were studied. An aerobic fermentative process was used with initial pH correction (0.3% acetic acid) and various NaCl concentrations: 6, 3 and 0% (w/v) in tap water. Treatments were carried out at industrial level and the spontaneous changes monitored. At initial salt concentrations of 6 and 3% (w/v) NaCl, pH rose progressively, reaching 4-3 at equilibrium maintaining during this period a constant free lactic acidity of around 0.4% (w//v). When the initial solution was tap waste, however, the pH decreased rapidly to stabilize at about 3-7, and lactic acidity increased continuously to reach values over 1% (w/v) at the end of the preservation process. In all treatments aeration effectively purged the carbon dioxide from the preservation brines, preventing shrivelling of olives. The microbial growth was strongly influenced by the initial NaCl concentration. At 6 and 3% only yeasts grew, the most abundant being Pichia membranaefaciens, P. vini, P. fermentans and Hansenula polymorpha. However, when there was no NaCl, lactic acid bacteria colonized the solution. Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus inopinatus were the only species found. In this case there was a co-existence between yeasts and lactic acid bacteria As the treatment that supported lactic acid bacteria achieved the best final pH and acidity for olive stability, it may help to overcome the obstacles to a lactic fermentative process during the preservation stage of ripe olives from the Hojiblanca cultivar.
