(i) total bacteria counts (TBC) on spread plates of Iron Agar 1% NaCl
incubated at 15 C for 72 h; (ii) H2S-producing bacteria, as black
colonies and presumptive S. putrefaciens, on spread plates of Iron
Agar 1% NaCl incubated at 15 C for 72 h; (iii) luminescents bacteria
on spread plates of Iron Agar 1% NaCl incubated at 15 C for 5 days
as presumptive P. phosphoreum; (iv) total viable bacteria on pour
plates of PCA incubated at 30 C for 72 h; (v) Pseudomonas spp. on
spread plates of Pseudomonas Agar Base (Oxoid) with added CFC
(Cetrimide, Fucidine, Cephalosporine) supplement (Oxoid) incubated
at 25 C for 48 h; (vi) lactic acid bacteria on overlay plates of
MRS Agar (Oxoid) incubated at 30 C for 72 h; (vii) Enterobacteriaceae
on double-layered plates of Violet Red Bile Glucose
agar (VRBG, Oxoid) incubated at 30 C for 24 h. All microbial counts
are expressed as the log of the colony-forming units per gram
(log CFU/g) of sample (detection limits were 2 log CFU/g and
1 log CFU/g for spread plates and pour plates techniques, respectively).
All analyses were performed in triplicate.