FATE OF COLIFORMS IN TURKISH SOUDJUK DURING RIPENING AND STORAGE

The fate of coliforms in Turkish soudjuk during fermentation, ripening and storage was studied. Survival was highly dependent on the pH attained during fermentation. The number of faecal coliforms and Escherichia coli increased during the first 2 days of fermentation in soudjuk made with addition of 5 g kg-1 fast cure coinciding with a drop in pH to 5.8 from 6.15. Thereafter a substantial reduction in numbers of faecal coliforms and E coli occurred with further decline in pH to 5.3 after 7 days. A marked decline in the number of organisms initially present was observed within 2 days in soudjuk made with 10 g kg-1 glucose; this coincided with a drop in pH to 4.5. E coli was completely inactivated in 7 days in soudjuk made with 10 g kg-1 glucose. In contrast, the inactivation of E coli took 21 days in soudjuk made with 5 g kg-1 fast cure. In soudjuk made with 5 g kg-1 fast cure, total and faecal coliforms survived better when stored under vacuum at 4-degrees-C compared with ambient pressure at 20-degrees-C.