DEVELOPMENT OF A SHELF-STABLE BANANA PUREE BY COMBINED FACTORS - MICROBIAL STABILITY

A preservation process based on the ''hurdle'' effect for obtaining a shelf-stable banana puree was developed. The microbial stability of the puree was challenged with inoculation of osmophilic and non-osmophilic yeasts, various molds, Bacillus coagulans, Clostridium pasteurianum and Clostridium butyricum. It was shown that growth of both native and inoculated flora may be prevented for at least 120 days storage in banana puree by adjusting water activity (a(w)) to 0.97, pH to 3.4, adding 250 ppm of ascorbic acid (AA), 100 ppm of potassium sorbate (KS) and 400 ppm of sodium bisulphite (NaHSO3), and applying a mild heat treatment.