Quantitative PCR Assay as a Tool for the Detection of Lactobacilli in Sicilian Table Olives Produced at an Industrial Scale

Table olives are an important fermented product of the Mediterranean area consumed all over the world. In our era, the food industry requires a safe and stable final product with desirable characteristics for the consumer. In the present study, two different experimental fermentations (L, with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains, and LY, with L. plantarum strains and Wickerhamomyces anomalus strain) were conducted and monitored up to 180 days and compared with a spontaneous fermentation, used as control (C). The safety and stability of table olives were determined by applying a plate count and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) approach. Compared with the control sample (C), experimental fermentations showed a faster acidification and a good inhibition rate of spoilage bacteria, indicating the safety of the process. Quantitative PCR data confirmed the abundance of the Lactobacillus group in both experimental table olives, confirming the importance of the starter cultures for the stability of the final product. In conclusion, the use of starter cultures ensures the safety of industrially produced table olives, and the application of qPCR seems to be a promising tool to detect and quantify lactobacilli as a positive biomarker of table olive fermentation.