A Study Of The Microbial Flora Of Jinhua Ham

Jinhua ham is one of the most famous meat products,which is said has a history of more than 800 years from north Song dynasty. The special flavor of Jinhua ham comes form the long ripening process, in which a large number of physical and biological reaction take place in muscles.Amount and species of microbial flora of Jinhua ham from traditional process was detected to provide theory for Jinhua ham research.The conclusion of this test is:1.Microbe was hadly found after salting. But it increased afte some days in sun. It proved microbe inside ham came from outsides and went into ham after salting.2.maximum of microbe inside ham touch 106/g, which was enough to influence flavor of ham. But the count decreased to low values (<103) in the ripening period(June to August), so it was sure that the interior microbe of ham works before the ripening period.3.the microflora on the surface of Jinhua ham had little influence to each other, but molds on the surface really, affected interior microflora, which decreased when molds increased.4.Micrococcaceae predominated in bacteria throughout the curing and maturation processes, Lactic acid bacteria also had a large mount. The predominant spp. were Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus lugunensis and Micrococcus varians. Pediococcus pentosaceus, P. urinaeequi and Lactobacillus alimentarius predominated in Lactic acid bacteria.5.Candida Zeylanoides, Debaryomyces hansenii, Hansenula sydowiorum, Rhodotorula glautinis predominated in yeast flora of Jinhua ham.6.There was a large range of mold on the surface of Jinhua ham. Penicillium predominated in mold during the beginning of ripening,then is Aspergillus. P.italicum, P.simplicissimum and P.citrinum predominated in Penicillium. A.sydowi, A.glaucus and A.flauipes predominated in Aspergillus.7.Microbial flora inside and outside Jinhua ham was a whole. Interior microbial flora came from the exterior one. Mold on surface of ham affect amount of interior microbe. Their effect depended on the existence of them all.