The determination of microbial flora, water activity and chemical analyses in smoked, canned mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis, L.)

Abstract

This study reports the water activity, moisture, sodium chloride, pH, acidity, vinegar, total plate count, fecal coliform, coliform and Clostridium botulinum of canned mussels processed by 2 different smoking techniques. The results indicated that the average measured water activity was 0.971 +/- 0.001 for liquid smoked canned mussel with curry sauce and 0.982 +/- 0.001 for traditional smoked mussel. The moisture of samples varied between 69.440% for traditional smoked mussel and 76.35% for salting before traditional smoking. The moisture, salt, pH, acidity and vinegar were significantly different in some of the groups (P < 0.05). Mussels smoked using liquid and oak wood sawdust, in tomato puree sauce, curry sauce and sunflower oil sauce, were sterilized at 120 +/- 1 degreesC and 5.2 +/- 0.1 F-0. In none of the products was swelling or C. botulinum detected at 37 degreesC or 55 degreesC. Prior to canning, the mussels were investigated for fecal coliform, coliform and total plate count and found to carry no risk in terms of these parameters.