Decontamination of unpackaged and vacuum-packaged boneless chicken breast with pulsed ultraviolet light.

The effectiveness of pulsed UV light on the microbial load of boneless chicken breast was investigated. Unpackaged and vacuum-packaged samples inoculated with an antibiotic-resistant strain of Salmonella Typhimurium on the top surfaces were treated with pulsed UV light for 5, 15, 30, 45, and 60 s at 5, 8, and 13 cm distance from the quartz window in the pulsed UV light chamber. The log(10) reductions of Salmonella (cfu/cm(2)) on unpackaged samples varied from 1.2 to 2.4 after a 5-s treatment at 13 cm and a 60-s treatment at 5 cm, respectively. The log(10) reductions on vacuum-packaged samples varied from 0.8 to 2.4 after the 5-s treatment at 13 cm and the 60-s treatment at 5 cm, respectively. The optimum treatment conditions were determined to be 5 cm-15 s for unpackaged samples and 5 cm-30 s for vacuum-packaged samples, both of which resulted in about 2 log(10) reduction (approximately 99%). The total energy and temperatures of samples increased with longer treatment time and shorter distance from the quartz window in the pulsed UV light chamber. The changes in chemical quality and color of samples were determined after mild (at 13 cm for 5 s), moderate (at 8 cm for 30 s), and extreme (at 5 cm for 60 s) treatments. Neither malonaldehyde contents nor color parameters changed significantly (P > 0.05) after mild and moderate treatments. Mechanical properties of the packaging material were analyzed before and after pulsed UV light treatments. The elastic modulus at both along-machine and perpendicular-to-machine direction and yield strength at perpendicular-to-machine direction changed significantly (P < 0.05) after extreme treatment. Overall, these results clearly indicate that pulsed UV light has a potential to be used for decontamination of unpackaged and vacuum-packaged poultry.

Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes on unpackaged and vacuum-packaged chicken frankfurters using pulsed UV-light.

The effectiveness of pulsed UV-light on the microbial load and quality of unpackaged and vacuum-packaged chicken frankfurters was investigated. Samples were inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes Scott A on the top surfaces, and then treated with pulsed UV-light for 5, 15, 30, 45, and 60 s at 5, 8, and 13 cm distance from the quartz window in a pulsed UV-light chamber. Log reductions (CFU/cm(2)) on unpackaged samples were between 0.3 and 1.9 after 5-s treatment at 13 cm and 60-s treatment at 5 cm, respectively. Log reductions on packaged samples ranged from 0.1 to 1.9 after 5-s treatment at 13 cm and 60-s treatment at 5 cm, respectively. The temperature changes of samples and total energy (J/cm(2)) received at each treatment condition were monitored. The extent of lipid peroxidation and the color were determined by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) test and CIELAB color method, respectively. Lipid peroxidation of samples did not change significantly (P > 0.05) after mild (5-s treatment at 13 cm) and moderate (30-s treatment at 8 cm) treatments. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in color parameters were observed after treatments of both unpackaged and packaged samples. Packaging material was also analyzed for mechanical properties. The elastic modulus, yield strength, percent elongation at yield point, maximum tensile strength, and percent elongation at break did not change significantly (P > 0.05) after mild treatment. Overall, this study demonstrated that pulsed UV-light has a potential to decontaminate ready-to-eat (RTE) poultry-based food products.

Efficacy of electrolyzed oxidizing water for the microbial safety and quality of eggs.

During commercial processing, eggs are washed in an alkaline detergent and then rinsed with chlorine to reduce dirt, debris, and microorganism levels. The alkaline and acidic fractions of electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water have the ability to fit into the 2-step commercial egg washing process easily if proven to be effective. Therefore, the efficacy of EO water to decontaminate Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli K12 on artificially inoculated shell eggs was investigated. For the in vitro study, eggs were soaked in alkaline EO water followed by soaking in acidic EO water at various temperatures and times. Treated eggs showed a reduction in population between > or = 0.6 to > or =2.6 log10 cfu/g of shell for S. Enteritidis and > or =0.9 and > or =2.6 log10 for E. coli K12. Log10 reductions of 1.7 and 2.0 for S. Enteritidis and E. coli K12, respectively, were observed for typical commercial detergent-sanitizer treatments, whereas log10 reductions of > or =2.1 and > or =2.3 for S. Enteritidis and E. coli K12, respectively, were achieved using the EO water treatment. For the pilot-scale study, both fractions of EO water were compared with the detergent-sanitizer treatment using E. coli K12. Log10 reductions of > or = 2.98 and > or = 2.91 were found using the EO water treatment and the detergent-sanitizer treatment, respectively. The effects of 2 treatments on egg quality were investigated. EO water and the detergent-sanitizer treatments did not significantly affect albumen height or eggshell strength; however, there were significant affects on cuticle presence. These results indicate that EO water has the potential to be used as a sanitizing agent for the egg washing process.

Development and validation of a dynamic growth model for Listeria monocytogenes in fluid whole milk.

Listeria monocytogenes, a psychrotrophic microorganism, has been the cause of several food-borne illness outbreaks, including those traced back to pasteurized fluid milk and milk products. This microorganism is especially important because it can grow at storage temperatures recommended for milk (< or =7 degrees C). Growth of L. monocytogenes in fluid milk depends to a large extent on the varying temperatures it is exposed to in the postpasteurization phase, i.e., during in-plant storage, transportation, and storage at retail stores. Growth data for L. monocytogenes in sterilized whole milk were collected at 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 degrees C. Specific growth rate and maximum population density were calculated at each temperature using these data. The data for growth rates versus temperature were fitted to the Zwietering square root model. This equation was used to develop a dynamic growth model (i.e., the Baranyi dynamic growth model or BDGM) for L. monocytogenes based on a system of equations which had an intrinsic parameter for simulating the lag phase. Results from validation of the BDGM for a rapidly fluctuating temperature profile showed that although the exponential growth phase of the culture under dynamic temperature conditions was modeled accurately, the lag phase duration was overestimated. For an alpha0 (initial physiological state parameter) value of 0.137, which corresponded to the mean temperature of 15 degrees C, the population densities were underpredicted, although the experimental data fell within the narrow band calculated for extreme values of alpha0. The maximum relative error between the experimental data and the curve based on an average alpha0 value was 10.42%, and the root mean square error was 0.28 log CFU/ml.

Penetration of Salmonella enteritidis into Eggs Subjected to Rapid Cooling.

Eggs were cooled to 0°C using two different cooling rates, natural convection, and forced convection at an air speed of 30.5 m/min. Upon rapid cooling using forced convection and when brought back to room temperature, eggs were more prone to penetration by Salmonella enteritidis (strain PS8NSR). Eggs cooled using forced convection had 100% penetration by PS8NSR; eggs cooled using natural convection had 91.3% penetration; and uncooled eggs had 48% penetration. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that shells of both cooled and uncooled eggs had microscopic cracks; however, cracks were more numerous and larger in shells of cooled eggs.