Clone of GENE-UP® PRO ACB: Garantiza el sabor del zumo desde el inicio
Garantiza el sabor del zumo desde el principio
Los productores de bebidas viven condicionados debido a la sensibilidad de sus sabores. Las marcas crean o pierden valor en función de sus aromas, sabores y regustos característicos; un sabor desagradable disminuye clientes, reputación y beneficios.
Una encuesta de 2017 publicada en el International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology reveló que más del 90% de los fabricantes de zumos encuestados indicaron que un mejor control sobre los microorganismos alterantes aumentaría de forma considerable los beneficios y reduciría la cantidad de producto desechado.
Un desequilibrio de sabor a menudo está ligado a la presencia de Alicyclobacillus (ACB) y a su subproducto, el guayacol. El ACB se desarrolla en el zumo y puede sobrevivir a la pasteurización. Aunque no es patógeno, el guayacol altera el perfil de sabor de la bebida.
Uno de los retos a los que se enfrentan los fabricantes de zumos es el tiempo que se tarda en analizar la presencia de Alicyclobacillus (ACB) y guayacol. Tradicionalmente, dos test en el momento de la liberación suponen un tiempo de espera de al menos 48 horas. Eso supone dos días de producto parado - un problema para cualquier jefe de producción.
"comprender mejor la estructura del género Alicyclobacillus y el potencial de alteración de las especies individuales impulsa la mejora de las decisiones de gestión de la calidad que reduce las pérdidas de producto y mejoran la satisfacción del cliente" dice Abigail Snyder, assistant professor of microbial food safety en el Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences y autora principal de esa encuesta de 2017.
Sin embargo, hay buenas noticias para los actuales responsables de calidad. Ahora se puede analizar ACB y el guayacol en un solo análisis con resultados al día siguiente, una gran novedad para la industria de las bebidas.
Why test for Alicyclobacillus?
Alicyclobacillus (ACB) is an acidophilic and spore-forming organism that thrives in juice. Alicyclobacillus spp. possess several distinct characteristics, but the major one is their ability to survive commercial pasteurization processes and produce off-flavors in fruit juices. The fruit juice industry has acknowledged Alicyclobacillus spp. as a major quality control target microorganism1.
ACB contamination is fairly common due to its impermeability to pasteurization, and a positive ACB test does not always imply spoilage. Instead, organoleptic spoiling — impacting odor and taste — occurs due to a metabolite called guaiacol, an unpleasant odorous compound in fruit juices produced from ACB.
The Challenge of Traditional ACB Testing
ACB is a tricky organism. Pasteurization doesn’t always kill it, ACB doesn’t always produce guaiacol, and traditional ACB screening doesn’t always identify spoilage. “Not all ACB cause product spoilage. It is off-aroma produced by ACB that is the real culprit in product spoilage, not simply the presence of ACB itself,” Snyder adds. To detect the flavor-altering guaiacol, a second enzymatic test must be performed.
Common spoilage testing requires a two-step system: an ACB screen, plus an enzyme screen. Not only do two tests increase the risk of human error, results return in 48 hours while the product sits idle — using valuable refrigeration and storage space.
“When companies monitor just for the presence of ACB, they may make product disposition decisions that do not reflect the spoilage potential of that material. Better diagnostic tools that predict spoilage, not just ACB presence, could help address that challenge.”
The Advantages of One-Step ACB Testing
With so many what-ifs in ACB testing, the most efficient and accurate method is one test that provides next-day Alicyclobacillus and guaiacol results. One-and-done ACB and guaiacol detection — like the bioMérieux’s new GENE-UP® PRO ACB — eases workflow, minimizes human error and avoids false positives.
By incorporating two tests into one, bioMérieux’s GENE-UP® PRO ACB packages their time-tested microbiological PCR detection into a standard workflow. This new single assay specific to juice production identifies the gene that is 100% correlated to guaiacol production. ACB testing is complete within 27 hours, instead of the conventional 48 hours, so inventory can be moved quickly and profits can be saved.
“The Gene-Up Pro ACB assay is unique because it predicts the function of guaiacol production rather than simply relying on species identification and associating species with guaiacol production,” Snyder says. “That type of information can serve as a decision support tool for the industry to improve their quality management decisions that reduce waste and improve customer satisfaction. Anecdotally, it is also comparatively a much shorter time to result and requires only basic lab skills to use.”
