Toxicological assessment of Penicillium nalgiovense strains for use as starter cultures in dry fermented sausage manufacture.

LUDEMANN V, POSE G, MOAVRO A, MALIAVIABARRENA M, FANDIÑO R, RIPOLL G, BASILICO JC & PARDO AG.

JOURNAL OF FOOD PROTECTION

International Association For Food Protection

Lugar: Des Moines, Iowa, USA; Año: 2009 vol. 72 p. 1666 - 1670

0362-028X

Use of fungal starter strains for casing of dry fermented sausages provides for consistent manufacture and better ensures consumer safety. Penicillium nalgiovense is normally used for this purpose. Even though this species is reported as safe with respect to the production of the most common mycotoxins, its safety may be strain specific. The aim of the present work was to assess the toxicogenic potential of nine P. nalgiovense strains isolated from dry fermented sausages that were previously suitable as starters. The strains were tested for toxicity on brine shrimp larvae and the human cell line MCF7, for mutagenicity in the Ames test and for antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. According to our results several P. nalgiovense strains were positive in more than one bioassay. Therefore, it is important to use different toxicological assays when characterizing strains intended for food use. Strains S1-2 and S14-4 which belong to biotypes 6 and 5, respectively, were non-toxigenic under the conditions tested.  Overall, strain S1-2 of P. nalgiovense proved to be best suited as a starter in dry fermented sausage manufacture because in addition of being non-toxicogenic it produces white conidia, which is a desirable feature.