LAUSR

Byssochlamys fulva is an ascospore producer fungus known to be heat resistant and commonly found in fruit juices. This work aims at studying the influence of soluble solid content and storage temperature on the growth of B. fulva in apple juices. Agar-added apple juices, adjusted to different levels of soluble solids (12, 20, 25, 35, 45, 55, 70 °Bx) were artificially inoculated with B. fulva spores and incubated at different temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 °C). Microorganisms’ growth was assessed every day for a total of 3 months. A Gompertz-based model was used in experimental data fit for each soluble solid and temperature condition applied. Kinetic parameters were estimated by nonlinear regression procedures. The soluble solids and temperature effects were thereafter included in the primary Gompertz-based model. The predictive ability of this expression in terms of B. fulva growth was successfully proven for the range of conditions tested.