4. Conclusions
Improved sensorial and nutritional characteristics of the final product
can be achieved using oleuropeinolytic strains of the L. plantarum
group as both debittering and fermentation agents. The fermented
product should be stored under refrigeration in order to avoid microbial
growth or alternatively, pasteurization may be applied as a barrier in
order to prolong the shelf life. Table olives produced according to industrial
processing are stored at room temperature due to the increased
salt concentration. The populations of E. coli O157 EDL-932
and L. monocytogenes Scott A inactivated by more than 6 logs in
≤24hinolivehomogenatesbythemicroflora of both olive cultivars
fermented by OSC in reduced salt brines. L. monocytogenes counts detected
in olive pulp after immersion in peptone/saline suspension
eliminated under the detection limit after 7 days of storage at 22 or
4°C.Whereas,E. coli O157 population lower than 1.6 log CFU/g
couldbedetectedinolivesstoredinpeptone/salineat22°Cfor
7days.
Acknowledgments
We thank Dr. Emmanouil Papaioannou for his help with the HPLC
analysis. We thank the olive processing plants for their helpful
assistance.