ĐÁNH GIÁ CHẤT LƯỢNG VÀ AN TOÀN BÁNH MEN TRUYỀN THỐNG TẠI TRUNG THẠNH, THÀNH PHỐ CẦN THƠ

Tóm tắt

This study investigated the physicochemical, microbiological, sensory characteristics and food safety of traditional starter cakes (banh men) in Trung Thanh commune, Can Tho city, Vietnam. Three commonly used starter cakes were collected and analyzed for pH, moisture content, microbial counts, and beneficial microbial composition using culture-based methods combined with amplicon sequencing. Fermentation performance of glutinous rice was evaluated after 72 h based on °Brix, ethanol content, pH, sensory acceptance, and microbiological safety indicators. The results showed that starter cakes exhibited pH values ranging from 5.37 to 5.62 and moisture contents of 12.2–14.5%. Yeast and mold populations ranged from 10⁶ to 10⁷ CFU/g, while lactic acid bacteria reached approximately 10⁸ CFU/g. Amplicon sequencing revealed the dominance of starch-hydrolyzing molds, mainly Rhizopus, within the fungal community, while fermentative yeasts such as Saccharomyces and lactic acid bacteria-related genera (Weissella, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus) were consistently present in the starter cakes. After 72 h of fermentation, fermented rice exhibited °Brix values of 34.40–40.4°Bx, ethanol contents of 4.2–5.36% (v/v), and pH values of 3.97–4.4, indicating active fermentation with moderate acidification. Sensory evaluation showed that fermented rice samples achieved acceptable sensory scores, although variations among samples reflected the non-uniformity of traditional starter cakes. Methanol and furfural were not detected in any samples. However, Escherichia coli was detected below the quantification threshold of the method (<10 CFU/g), while other indicator and pathogenic microorganisms, including coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Clostridium perfringens, were not detected or remained below the applicable limits. Overall, the results provided baseline data on the physicochemical, microbiological and safety characteristics of traditional starter cakes and fermented glutinous rice in the study area, comparable to similar fermented rice products in the region, and provided scientific evidence for the evaluation and preservation of traditional fermented foods.