The microbiological quality and residual nitrate/nitrite levels in turkish sausage (soudjouck) produced in Afyon Province, Turkey

To determine the microbiological quality, pH and residual nitrate/nitrite levels, a total of 100 soudjouck samples were randomly purchased and analysed. Total number of aerobic bacteria and lactobacilli were found to be ⩾107 and ⩾108 cfu/g in 73% and 40% of the samples, respectively. Twenty three percent of the samples contained ⩾106 cfu/g micrococci/staphylococci while enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, enterococci and yeast/mould were detected in 15%, 11%, 41% and 17% of the samples, respectively at the level of ⩾104 cfu/g. Escherichia coli was found 5% of the samples. Nine percent of the samples contained coagulase positive staphylococci at the level of 102 cfu/g. Bacillus cereus and sulphite-reducing anaerobic bacteria were not detected. The maximum levels of residual sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite and pH values limited by Turkish Food Regulations are 250 ppm, 100 ppm and 5.8, respectively. In this respect, 18% of samples for sodium nitrate, 11% of samples for sodium nitrite and 32% of samples for pH were found high.