Antilisterial peptides from Spanish dry-cured hams: Purification and identification

CASTELLANO P; LETICIA MORA; ESCUDERO ELIZABETH; VIGNOLO GRACIELA; AZNAR ROSA; F. TOLDRÁ.

FOOD MICROBIOLOGY

ACADEMIC PRESS LTD-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2016 vol. 59 p. 133 - 141

0740-0020

The typical Spanish dry-cured ham has a particular sensory quality that makes it a distinctive food,highly appreciated for consumers worldwide. Its particular physicochemical properties, such as high saltcontent and reduced water activity contribute to their shelf-stability. However, post-processing actionscarried out for the commercialization of these products such as slicing may increase the risk of developmentof pathogenic microorganisms as Listeria monocytogenes. During ripening, muscle proteins arehydrolyzed by muscle peptidases releasing peptides and free amino acids. Some of these peptides havebeen described to exert biological activities such as antioxidant and ACE-inhibition. In this study, apeptidomic strategy using mass spectrometry techniques has been used to identify and sequence thosenaturally generated peptides showing antilisterial activity. One hundred and five peptides have beenidentified in active fractions and some synthesized and their MIC calculated. Ten peptides were able toinhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes, being the pentapeptide RHGYM the most effective showing a MICvalue of 6.25 mM. This study proves for the first time the potential antimicrobial action againstL. monocytogenes of certain naturally generated peptides obtained from Spanish dry-cured ham.