In samples formulated without NaNO2, in all EO concentrations tested, the C. perfringens population was less (p ≤ 0.05) than the control throughout the entire storage period. However, the antimicrobial effect of the EO-containing sausages was visibly reduced when compared to in vitro tests where the growth

was totally restricted at 1.56%. In mortadella samples manufactured with NaNO2 at 100 ppm and 200 ppm without EO, the C. perfringens counts were significantly lower (p ≤ 0.05) than the control after the first day of storage. These populations were maintained lower (p ≤ 0.05) than the control during the entire storage period. The antimicrobial buy SCH 900776 effect was significantly better in samples elaborated with 200 ppm when compared to samples elaborated with 100 ppm throughout the storage time with a population of 1.78 and 2.08 log10 CFU/g, respectively,

at the 30 day of storage. A combined effect of NaNO2 and savory EO on C. perfringens in mortadella sausages was observed. In samples formulated with 100 ppm and 200 ppm of NaNO2 with EO at concentrations of 0.78% and 1.56%, more pronounced reductions (p ≤ 0.05) selleck products were observed when compared to samples with the same concentrations of EO without the addition of NaNO2 after the first day of storage. The antimicrobial effect was higher in these treatments when compared to treatments with only NaNO2. The use of NaNO2 at 100 ppm combined with 1.56% EO showed a similar effect to the effect found in samples with 200 ppm of NaNO2 without EO, suggesting the use of reduced amounts of nitrite combined with EO. Among the treatments evaluated the use of nitrite at 100 ppm and EO at 0.78% or 1.56% appears to be a feasible alternative. Under all EO concentrations evaluated for sausages formulated with 100 ppm of NaNO2, the populations were less (p ≤ 0.05) than control at the end of the storage period. The greater population reduction among all treatments evaluated was observed in sausages formulated with from 3.125% EO and either 100 ppm or 200 ppm of NaNO2, where the bacterial population was reduced to 4.71 and 4.30 log10 CFU/g, respectively, after the

first day of storage. In samples treated with combinations of 200 ppm of NaNO2 and EO at 0.78%, 1.56% or 3.125% the C. perfringens counts were not detected at the end of storage period, which was probably due to the higher concentration of active chemical components of nitrite additive. In all treatments evaluated, the populations of C. perfringens showed an increase after the 10 day of storage. At the end of the storage period (day 30) we observed a pronounced decrease in viable cell counts in all of treatments evaluated including the control samples. The C. perfringens spore counts in mortadella-type sausages formulated with different concentration of S. montana EO and varying levels of NaNO2, during storage at 25 °C for 30 days, are presented in Table 3.