Giarraffa and Grossa di Spagna naturally fermented table olives: Effect of starter and probiotic cultures on chemical, microbiological and sensory traits .

This work investigated on the effects of selected starters and of probiotic strains on the evolution of microbiota, on trend of volatile compounds and on the final sensorial traits of green table olives. The olives, belonging to Giarraffa and Grossa di Spagna cultivars, were processed according to Sicilian traditional method and the following samples were obtained: (1) un-inoculated spontaneous olives, control; (2) olives inoculated with probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus H25; (3) olives inoculated with commercial probiotic L. rhamnosus GG; (4) olives inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum GC3 plus Lactobacillus paracasei BS21; and (5) olives inoculated with L. plantarum GC3 plus L. paracasei BS21 plus L. rhamnosus H25. Microbial growth, pH, lactic acid concentrations and volatile compounds were monitored during the 120. days of fermentation, while sensory parameters were evaluated in the final products. Results of microbiological and physico-chemical analyses did not reveal any signif...