Effect of sweet humectants on stability and antimicrobial action of sorbates

MARÍA F.GLIEMMO; CARMEN CAMPOS; LÍA GERSCHENSON

JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE

Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)

Lugar: Chicago; Año: 2004 vol. 69 p. 39 - 44

0022-1147

The effect of glucose or polyols on sorbate stability and on its antimicrobial action were studied in aqueous systems (pH 3.0). All humectants promoted preservative degradation, but polyols decreased browning development. Depression of water activity did not inhibit the growth of Zygosaccharomyces bailii, but xylitol increased the lag phase and decreased the growth rate and the stationary phase level. Sorbate minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) concerning Z. bailii growth acquired slightly lower values (0.020% w/w) when sorbitol or xylitol were present for systems with water activity of 0.971. The residual level of the preservative after 3 wk of storage at 35 °C was smaller than the MIC for all studied systems with the exception of the humectant-free system.