Registered designation of origin areas of fermented food products defined by microbial phenotypes and artificial neural networks

• Published in: Applied and Environmental Microbiology Vol. 65; no. 10; pp. 4484 - 4489
• Main Authors: Lopes, M.F.S, Pereira, C.I, Rodrigues, F.M.S, Martins, M.P, Mimoso, M.C, Barros, T.C, Marques, J.J.F, Barreto Crespo, M.T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01-10-1999
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cheese - microbiology; cheese starters; cheeses; cultured product starters; Enterococcus; Fermentation; Food industries; Food Microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Lactobacillus; metabolites; Methods of analysis, processing and quality control, regulation, standards; microbial physiology; Milk - microbiology; Neural Networks (Computer); Phenotype; Portugal; sausages; Portugal; Ewe milk cheese; Phenotype; Dry sausage; Registered appellation of origin; Meat product; Foodstuff; Method; Neural network; Metabolism; Fermented product; Artificial intelligence; Microbial community
• ISSN: 0099-2240; 1098-5336
• DOI: 10.1128/aem.65.10.4484-4489.1999

Cheese produced from raw ewes' milk and chourico, a Portuguese dry fermented sausage, are still produced in a traditional way in certain regions of Portugal by relying on colonization by microbial populations associated with the raw materials, equipment, and local environments. For the purpose of describing the product origins and types of these fermented foods, metabolic phenotypes can be used as descriptors of the product as well as to determine the presence of compounds with organoleptic value. The application of artificial neural networks to the metabolic profiles of bacterial isolates was assayed and allowed the separation of products from different regions. This method could then be used for the Registered Designation of Origin certification process of food products. Therefore, besides test panel results for these traditionally produced food products, another tool for validating products for the marketplace is available to the producers. The method can be improved for the detection of counterfeit products.