Utilización de aceite escencial de albahaca como antimicrobiano y antifungico en chorizos con carne de alpaca

Abstract

The objective of this research was to use basil essential oil (Ocimum basilicum) as an antimicrobial and antifungal agent in chorizos made with alpaca meat, for which a completely randomized design was applied with the significance test according to Tukey (>0.05); with 4 treatments (0-0.03-0.06-0.09 %) and 4 replicates. The alpaca chorizos were free of salmonella sp, Escherichia coli, while there was minimal presence of mesophilic aerobes, Staphylococcus aureus, fungi, and yeasts, which did not exceed the requirements of NTE INEN 1338:2010 for meat products. In the physicochemical analyses, there were no statistical differences in loss by heating, protein, ash, and pH, except for fat content, which showed statistical differences among the treatments used, with the lowest value in T1 with 18.38%. According to the organoleptic analysis, the following attributes were evaluated: odor, flavor, color, and appearance, all of which achieved an evaluation of good, except for T3 for the color attribute, which recorded better results. The cost/benefit indicator for T1 is $1.30, while in the other degrees this item decreases as the percentage of essential oil increases. It was concluded that basil essential oil can be used as an antimicrobial and antifungal agent since it is composed of phenols such as eugenol, estragole, camphor, which inhibit the development and proliferation of microorganisms. It is recommended to use basil essential oil in the preparation of alpaca chorizo because it was possible to control the growth of microorganisms such as salmonella sp, Escherichia coli, mesophilic aerobes, Staphylococcus, fungi, and yeasts.