Stability of monosodium glutamate in green table olives and pickled cucumbers as a function of packing conditions and storage time

Abstract

The effects of different packing conditions and storage times on the stability of monosodium glutamate (MSG) added to two different fermented vegetables (Spanish-type green table olives and pickled cucumbers) were studied. Factors such as packaging material (glass bottle versus plastic pouch), heat treatment (pasteurisation versus non-pasteurisation), and the presence or not of a preservative compound (potassium sorbate) were considered. The MSG content of pickled cucumbers was stable for up to 1 year of storage in all packing conditions studied. The MSG content also remained stable in pasteurised green table olives. On the contrary, MSG was extensively degraded (>75% degradation) after 54 weeks of storage in unpasteurised green olives with a higher degradation rate in glass bottles compared with plastic pouches. In the presence of potassium sorbate, MSG was also considerably degraded in olives packed in plastic pouches (>50% degradation), but hardly degraded in glass bottles. The results indicate that MSG degradation in olives is due to the action of both lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, with the formation of γ-aminobutyric acid as the major end-product.

Keywords:

• γ-aminobutyric acid
• cucumbers
• degradation
• glutamate
• pyroglutamic acid
• table olives

Funding

This work was supported by the Spanish government through Project AGL 2007–62686 (partially financed by the European Union, FEDER funds) and by the Junta de Andalucía through financial support to group AGR-208.