Abstract
The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) "Oliva di Gaeta" is a type of Italian fermented table olive obtained through a spontaneous fermentative process ("Itrana" method) driven by the indigenous olives microbiota. Although the use of starter cultures may improve the fermentative process and the quality of the final product, this has been poorly investigated for PDO Gaeta olives. In this study, we evaluated the use of Lactiplantibacillus pentosus O17 as a starter culture for the production of Gaeta-like olives. Three fermentations were performed: a spontaneous process (according to PDO regulation, trial A), fermentation driven by Lpb. pentosus O17 (trial B), and O17-driven fermentation combined with different brine formulation (trial C). Physicochemical properties (i.e., pH, titratable acidity, salt, and total phenolic content) and microbial population (plate counting and metataxonomy) were monitored up to 180 days. Sensory and texture profiles were evaluated in the final product. Driven fermentations (trials B and C) led faster acidification and enhanced the microbial quality of table olives without altering the organoleptic features of Gaeta-like olives. Our study suggests that the use of a starter culture and a different brining method could improve the microbiological quality of Gaeta-like olives, while preserving the traditional identity and the sensory attributes related to this PDO product.