The effect of organic acids and storage temperature on lite salad dressing rheology and Zygosaccharomyces parabailii growth

Zygosaccharomyces parabailii (Z. parabailii) causes spoilage in salad dressings due to its tolerance to osmotic pressure. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of organic acids and storage temperatures (4, 10, and 25 °C) on Z. parabailii growth and salad dressing mechanical properties. Acetic, lactic, and gluconic acids were used alone and in combination to acidify salad dressing. Z. parabailii-challenged formulations containing acetic acid alone tended to have lower counts of Z. parabailii when compared to Z. parabailii-challenged formulations containing other acid combinations. Overall, storage temperature had the most impact on Z. parabailii growth over a 45-day storage. Acidulant type and combination impacted salad dressing mechanical properties. During the 45-day storage period, all formulations showed increased viscosity, a Herschel–Bulkley viscosity profile, and elastic-dominant viscoelastic behavior. The degree of change in rheological behaviors over time was dependent on the type of acid used in the formulation. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-022-05459-4.