Evaluación de las propiedades antimicrobianas del hongo cola de pavo (Trametes versicolor (L.) Lloyd) y su aplicación como conservante en queso fresco

Abstract

The excessive consumption of processed foods with high levels of chemical additives has generated concern owing to the potential adverse effects on human health in both the short and long term. In this context, fungi have been proposed as promising alternatives for the production of natural food additives because of their functional and beneficial properties, as well as their ability to replace synthetic additives. For this purpose, a methanolic extract of the turkey tail fungus (Trametes versicolor (L.) Lloyd) was developed using the maceration method, which achieved the extraction of secondary metabolites together with the solvent methanol. The antimicrobial properties of the extract were evaluated using the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) against Escherichia coli ATCC 11775 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, using resazurin as an indicator, which allowed the observation of coloration changes. For food application, a fresh cheese was developed incorporating the fungus extract, and its shelf life was determined by counting colony forming units (CFU) per gram of Enterobacteriaceae for 5 days. In addition, the Arrhenius equation was used to predict its stability by comparing it with a traditional preservation method such as brine. The T. versicolor extract exhibited antimicrobial properties, as evidenced by the inhibition of the growth of the studied strains of E. coli and S. aureus, as confirmed by MIC and BMC assays. Likewise, the extract showed preservative effects in fresh cheese that were comparable to those obtained with brine, according to the results obtained through the prediction of shelf life based on the Arrhenius equation.