On the critical evaluation of growth/no growth assessment of Zygosaccharomyces bailii with optical density measurements: liquid versus structured media.

Growth/no growth (G/NG) studies that include the effect of medium structure have typically been performed for (pathogenic) bacteria and on the basis of gelatin/agar as a gelling agent. In this study, the growth potential of the spoilage yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii was investigated in two model systems that resemble the macroscopic physicochemical and rheological properties of acidic sauces. In a Carbopol model system, the effect of pH (3.5-4.5), glycerol concentration (17-32%), acetic acid concentration (1.5-2.0%) and medium structure (3 levels) was investigated. In xanthan gum, the behavior of the yeast was studied at different levels of pH (3.5-4.5), NaCl concentration (0.5-13.5%), acetic acid concentration (0-2.0%) and medium structure (2 levels). Rheologically, viscoelastic moduli failed to discriminate between different forms of microbial growth, whereas yield stress data appeared to provide a better indication. In general, G/NG results revealed an unexpected increase of growth probability as a function of medium structure, both at 22 and 30 °C. Whether this behavior is the result of an underlying growth-promoting mechanism could not be explained from a macroscopic point of view (e.g., macrorheology, a(w)), but may be more related to the local microscopic properties of the gels. In a second part of this study, the potential use and information content of optical density measurements for G/NG data collection in structured media were critically evaluated and confronted with their practical relevance to the food industry.

Modelling the growth/no growth boundary of Zygosaccharomyces bailii in acidic conditions: a contribution to the alternative method to preserve foods without using chemical preservatives.

The aim of the study was to develop mathematical models describing growth/no growth (G/NG) boundaries of the highly resistant food spoilage yeast-Zygosaccharomyces bailii-in different environmental conditions, taking acidified sauces as the target product. By applying these models, the stability of products with characteristics within the investigated pH, a(w) and acetic acid ranges can be evaluated. Besides, the well-defined no growth regions can be used in the development of guidelines regarding formulation of new shelf-stable foods without using chemical preservatives, which would facilitate the innovation of additive-free products. Experiments were performed at different temperatures and periods (22 degrees C for 45 and 60days, 30 degrees C for 45days) in 150 modified Sabouraud media characterized by high amount of sugars (glucose and fructose, 15% (w/v)), acetic acid (0.0-2.5% (v/v), 6 levels), pH (3.0-5.0, 5 levels) and a(w) (0.93-0.97, 5 levels). These time and temperature combinations were chosen as they are commonly applied for shelf-stable foods. The media were inoculated with ca. 4.5 log CFU/ml and yeast growth was monitored daily using optical density measurements. Every condition was examined in 20 replicates in order to yield accurate growth probabilities. Three separate ordinary logistic regression models were developed for different tested temperatures and incubation time. The total acetic acid concentration was considered as variable for all models. In general, when one intrinsic inhibitory factor became more stringent, the G/NG boundary shifted to less stressful conditions of the other two factors, resulting in enlarged no growth zones. Abrupt changes of growth probability often occurred around the transition zones (between growth and no growth regions), which indicates that minor variations in environmental conditions near the G/NG boundaries can cause a significant impact on the growth probability. When comparing growth after 45days between the two tested temperatures, an unexpected phenomenon was observed: the no growth region at 30 degrees C was larger than the one at 22 degrees C, though it is known that 30 degrees C is the optimal growth temperature for Z. bailii. These results show that lowering temperature does not always lead to a reduced growth of the yeast (i.e. more stable foods) and storing shelf-stable products at the higher temperature (30 degrees C) is not always the worst case. In addition, at 22 degrees C, there was no significant difference in no growth zones between the two incubation periods (45 and 60days), implying that the no growth zones remain unchanged if the experimental time is sufficiently long.

Design of an experimental viscoelastic food model system for studying Zygosaccharomyces bailii spoilage in acidic sauces.

Within the field of predictive microbiology, the number of studies that quantify the effect of food structure on microbial behavior is very limited. This is mainly due to impracticalities related to the use of a nonliquid growth medium. In this study, an experimental food model system for studying yeast spoilage in acid sauces was developed by selecting a suitable thickening/gelling agent. In a first step, a variety of thickening/gelling agents was screened, with respect to the main physicochemical (pH, water activity, and acetic acid and sugar concentrations) and rheological (weak gel viscoelastic behavior and presence of a yield stress) characteristics of acid sauces. Second, the rheological behavior of the selected thickening/gelling agent, Carbopol 980, was extensively studied within the following range of conditions: pH 4.0 to 5.0, acetic acid concentration of 0 to 1.0% (vol/vol), glycerol concentration of 0 to 15% (wt/vol), and Carbopol concentration of 1.0 to 1.5% (wt/vol). Finally, the applicability of the model system was illustrated by performing growth experiments in microtiter plates for Zygosaccharomyces bailii at 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% (wt/vol) Carbopol, 5% (wt/vol) glycerol, 0% (vol/vol) acetic acid, and pH 5.0. A shift from planktonic growth to growth in colonies was observed when the Carbopol concentration increased from 0.5 to 1.0%. The applicability of the model system was illustrated by estimating mu(max) at 0.5% Carbopol from absorbance detection times.

Modelling the influence of the inoculation level on the growth/no growth interface of Listeria monocytogenes as a function of pH, aw and acetic acid.

This research is an extension of previous work reported in Gysemans et al. [Gysemans, K.P.M., Bernaerts, K., Geeraerd, A.H., Vermeulen, A., Debevere, J., Devlieghere, F., Van Impe, J.F., 2007. Exploring the performance of logistic regression model types on growth/no growth data of Listeria monocytogenes. International Journal of Food Microbiology 114, 316-331.] in which the growth/no growth interface of Listeria monocytogenes was modelled as a function of water activity (a(w)), pH and undissociated acetic acid percentage (UAc). The major difference with the previous work is that in the present research the influence of the cell density (N) is also considered during the modelling process. New experimental data were therefore collected as a function of a wide range of cell densities up until the level of the individual cell. Prior to the development of model that incorporates N, the expected inadequacy of the high cell density growth/no growth model developed in Gysemans et al. (2007) on the new cell density dependent data was illustrated. Inadequacy of the model at lower cell densities was expected since the data showed a significant reduction of the growth probability as N decreased. For the development of a model that incorporates the effect of N, a square-root type logistic regression model was proposed and evaluated. The model predicts a strong influence of the cell density with an increase in the growth probability if the cell count increased. The onset of this increase is dependent on the intrinsic factors of the medium (pH, a(w), and acetic acid concentration). The model also suggests that it is unlikely that a larger population has a higher chance to start growing just because the chance on a strong cell is higher in a larger population. It seems that the bacteria influence each other's growth.

The efficacy of preservation methods to inactivate foodborne viruses.

During the last decade an increased incidence of infections and outbreaks attributed to foodborne viruses, in particular noroviruses (NoV), was observed world wide. The awareness of the presence of viruses on food emphasized the need to acquire knowledge regarding the effect of preservation methods upon viruses. Most foodborne viruses cannot be cultured in the laboratory, which hinders studies of their stability in food. Cultivable surrogate viruses, genetically related to the human infecting strains, are taken as a substitute to define inactivation rates. The last years, the number of survival and inactivation studies using various surrogate viruses increased. In this review, state-of-the-art information regarding the efficacy of preservation methods to reduce the level of viruses on food is compiled. In the first place, the effect of preservation methods establishing microbial growth inhibition (chilling, freezing, acidification, reduced water activity and modified atmosphere packaging) upon foodborne viruses is described. Secondly, the use of preservation methods establishing microbial inactivation such as heat treatment, high hydrostatic pressure processing and irradiation to eliminate viruses is discussed. In the third place, the efficacy of decontamination methods on fresh produce and purification procedures applied on live bivalve shellfish to reduce the viral load is included. These studies indicate that viruses persist well on chilled, acidified, frozen foods and foods packed under modified atmosphere or in dried conditions. Intervention strategies inducing microbial inactivation are required to achieve a 3 log reduction of the level of viruses. Decontamination of fresh produce reduces viruses with a maximum of 1 to 2 log while purification of live bivalves is not adequate to prevent viral outbreaks. It was noted that the effect of a particular food preservation method is dependent upon the virus tested and type of food.

Reported foodborne outbreaks due to noroviruses in Belgium: the link between food and patient investigations in an international context.

The Belgian data for foodborne norovirus (NoV) outbreaks became available for the first time with the introduction of an extraction and detection protocol for NoV in the National Reference Laboratory for foodborne outbreaks in September 2006. In 2007, 10 NoV foodborne outbreaks were reported affecting 392 persons in Belgium. NoV became the most detected agent in foodborne outbreaks followed by Salmonella (eight foodborne outbreaks). The major implicated foods were sandwiches (4/10), where food handlers reported a history of gastroenteritis in two outbreaks. A food handler was implicated in the limited number of Belgian NoV outbreaks which is in accord with internationally recorded data. Forty foodborne and waterborne outbreak events due to NoV, epidemiological and/or laboratory confirmed, from 2000 to 2007 revealed that in 42.5% of the cases the food handler was responsible for the outbreak, followed by water (27.5%), bivalve shellfish (17.5%) and raspberries (10.0%).

The reduction of murine norovirus 1, B. fragilis HSP40 infecting phage B40-8 and E. coli after a mild thermal pasteurization process of raspberry puree.

Pasteurization processes of raspberry puree are nowadays limited to short times and rather low temperatures to maintain flavor and nutritional quality. Norovirus (NoV) outbreaks associated with raspberries highlight the need to determine the survival of NoV on this type of soft fruit. Therefore, resistance of murine norovirus 1 (MNV-1), a surrogate for human NoV, B. fragilis HSP40 infecting phage B40-8, and E. coli towards mild pasteurization was tested. Raspberry puree heat treated at 65 degrees C for 30s showed a 1.86, 2.77, and 3.89 log reduction of, respectively, MNV-1, E. coli, and B40-8. Heating at 75 degrees C for 15s established a 2.81 log reduction of MNV-1 while a 3.44 and 3.61 log reduction of B40-8 and E. coli was observed. No supplementary lethal effect of holding the heat-treated raspberry puree at 4 degrees C overnight was noticed. B40-8 failed to be useful as a tool to monitor NoV inactivation during mild pasteurization processes. Moreover, <3 log reductions of MNV-1 were observed suggesting that upon high initial contamination load, infectious NoV particles may remain on mildly pasteurized raspberry puree.

Modelling the unexpected effect of acetic and lactic acid in combination with pH and aw on the growth/no growth interface of Zygosaccharomyces bailii.

Microbial spoilage of shelf-stable acidified sauces is predominantly caused by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. A specific spoilage yeast in these products is Zygosaccharomyces bailii, as this fructophilic, osmotolerant, and weak acid resistant yeast is difficult to control. A growth/no growth model was developed describing the influence of (i) pH in a range from pH 3.0 to pH 5.0 (5 levels), (ii) acetic acid in a range from 0 to 3.5% (w/v), and (iii) lactic acid in a range from 0 to 3.0% (w/v). aw was fixed at a level of 0.95 which is representative for acidified sauces with high sugar content. Modified Sabouraud medium was inoculated at +/- 10(4) CFU/ml, incubated at 30 degrees C and growth was assessed by optical density measurements. All combinations of environmental conditions were tested in at least twelve replicates, yielding precise values for the probability of growth. Results showed that replacing acetic acid by lactic acid, which has a milder taste, may imply some risks on food spoilage because, under some conditions, stimulation of growth by lactic acid was observed. This stimulation had also consequences on the model development: (i) only ordinary logistic regression models were able to describe this phenomenon due to their flexible behaviour, (ii) it was necessary to split up the data set into two subsets to have the best description of the obtained data. Two different ordinary logistic regression models were fitted on these data sets taking either the total acid concentration as one of the explanatory variables or differentiating between the undissociated and dissociated acid concentrations. The obtained models were compared with the CIMSCEE code [CIMSCEE, 1992. Code for the production of microbiologically safe and stable emulsified and non-emulsified sauces containing acetic acid. Comité des Industries des Mayonnaise et Sauces Condimentaires, de la Communauté Economique Européenne, Brussels, Belgium], a formula which is nowadays often used by the food industry to predict the stability of acidified products based on the undissociated acetic acid, NaCl and sugars concentration. Comparing this formula and the newly developed models showed that the CIMSCEE code made a slight underestimation of the growth probability. Advantages of the newly developed models are the description of the gradual transition zone between growth and no growth and the incorporation of the effect of lactic acid, alone or in combination with acetic acid.

Heat resistance of Bacillus cereus emetic toxin, cereulide.

AIMS: The study describes the effects of heating temperature and exposure time on the thermal stability of cereulide under different conditions (pH, presence/absence of oil phase and cereulide concentration). METHODS AND RESULTS: Cereulide heat inactivation was investigated at 100, 121 and 150 degrees C under different alkaline pH values (8.6-10.6) and in the presence of oil phase (0.6-1.4%). Three different cereulide concentrations (0.5, 5 and 6 microg ml(-1)) were used. Cereulide detection was performed with computer-aided semen analyzer and with HPLC-MS. Highly alkaline pH was needed to achieve inactivation. At lower cereulide concentrations less drastic conditions were needed. Removal of alkaline buffer after the heat treatment resulted in the recovery of toxic activity. CONCLUSIONS: Heat stability of cereulide has been proved to be remarkable, even at highly alkaline pH values, at all temperatures tested. The loss of activity appeared to be reversible. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The study demonstrates the inability of any heat treatment used in the food industry to inactivate cereulide. Food safety has to rely on prevention and cold chain maintenance. Cleaning practices also need to be adapted as cereulide may remain in its active form upon sterilization of used material.

Growth/no growth models describing the influence of pH, lactic and acetic acid on lactic acid bacteria developed to determine the stability of acidified sauces.

Growth/no growth models were developed for two spoilage bacteria typical for acidified sauces, L. plantarum and L. fructivorans. Influencing factors embedded in the model are also those typically encountered in these acidified sauces. The pH was varied between 3.0 and 5.0 (5 levels), and the acetic and lactic acid concentration ranged from 0 to 3% (6 levels). Modified MRS broth was inoculated at a high inoculation level (10(6) CFU/ml), incubated at 30 degrees C and growth was assessed by optical density measurements. All combinations of environmental conditions were tested in twelvefold yielding precise values for the probability of growth. Data were modelled by means of ordinary logistic regression. A comparison was made between a model containing the total acid concentrations as explanatory variables, on the one hand, and a model differentiating between the dissociated and undissociated concentrations, on the other hand. Results showed that (i) L. plantarum and L. fructivorans behave differently, resulting in a clearly distinct growth/no growth interface, (ii) there was no great difference between the established models with different explanatory variables, (iii) in some cases, growth/no growth boundaries at very low probabilities (which are more practical in industry) show illogical behaviour. The results of this study were also compared with the CIMSCEE code, which is often used by food producers to determine the stability of their acidified food products.

Performance of a growth-no growth model for Listeria monocytogenes developed for mayonnaise-based salads: influence of strain variability, food matrix, inoculation level, and presence of sorbic and benzoic acid.

A previously developed growth-no growth model for Listeria monocytogenes, based on nutrient broth data and describing the influence of water activity (a(w)), pH, and acetic acid concentrations, was validated (i) for a variety of L. monocytogenes strains and (ii) in a laboratory-made, mayonnaise-based surimi salad (as an example of a mayonnaise-based salad). In these challenge tests, the influence of the inoculation level was tested as well. Also, the influence of chemical preservatives on the growth probability of L. monocytogenes in mayonnaise-based salads was determined. To evaluate the growth-no growth model performance on the validation data, four quantitative criteria are determined: concordance index, % correct predictions, % fail-dangerous, and % fail-safe. First, the growth probability of 11 L. monocytogenes strains, not used for model development, was assessed in nutrient broth under conditions within the interpolation region. Experimental results were compared with model predictions. Second, the growth-no growth model was assessed in a laboratory-made, sterile, mayonnaise-based surimi salad to identify a possible model completeness error related to the food matrix, making use of the above-mentioned validation criteria. Finally, the effect on L. monocytogenes of common chemical preservatives (sorbic and benzoic acid) at different concentrations under conditions typical of mayonnaise-based salads was determined. The study showed that the growth-no growth zone was properly predicted and consistent for all L. monocytogenes strains. A larger prediction error was observed under conditions within the transition zone between growth-no growth. However, in all cases, the classification between no growth (P = 0) and any growth (P > 0) occurred properly, which is most important for the food industry, where outgrowth needs to be prevented in all instances. The results in the sterile mayonnaise-based salad showed again that the growth-no growth zone was well predicted but that also, in real food systems, a transition zone between growth and no growth exists. This became even more obvious for lower inoculation levels. The maximum-allowed concentration of benzoic and sorbic acid in mayonnaise-based salads, according to the European Union legislation, eliminated the growth of L. monocytogenes. Concentrations of 600 and 300 ppm were already sufficient to inhibit growth at 7 and 4 degrees C, respectively, under conditions associated with mayonnaise-based salads (pH 5.6; a(w), 0.985).

High pressure carbon dioxide inactivation of microorganisms in foods: the past, the present and the future.

Thermal pasteurization is a well known and old technique for reducing the microbial count of foods. Traditional thermal processing, however, can destroy heat-sensitive nutrients and food product qualities such as flavor, color and texture. For more than 2 decades now, the use of high-pressure carbon dioxide (HPCD) has been proposed as an alternative cold pasteurization technique for foods. This method presents some fundamental advantages related to the mild conditions employed, particularly because it allows processing at much lower temperature than the ones used in thermal pasteurization. In spite of intensified research efforts the last couple of years, the HPCD preservation technique has not yet been implemented on a large scale by the food industry until now. This review presents a survey of published knowledge concerning the HPCD technique for microbial inactivation, and addresses issues of the technology such as the mechanism of carbon dioxide bactericidal action, the potential for inactivating vegetative cells and bacterial spores, and the regulatory hurdles which need to be overcome. In addition, the review also reflects on the opportunities and especially the current drawbacks of the HPCD technique for the food industry.

Relevance of N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone production by Yersinia enterocolitica in fresh foods.

AIMS: Determination of the food matrix impact on the potential for N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs) production by Yersinia enterocolitica. METHODS AND RESULTS: Induction and inhibition of a sensor strain and a fluorescent assay were used to investigate Y. enterocolitica AHL production in artificial media, as well as in different food extracts. All Y. enterocolitica strains tested produced AHLs in artificial media. Thin Layer Chromatography analysis of Y. enterocolitica strains indicated the production of 3-oxo-hexanoyl homoserine lactone and hexanoyl homoserine lactone. Yersinia enterocolitica produced AHL principally in fish and meat extracts. CONCLUSIONS: AHL production by Y. enterocolitica was observed in products of animal origin, but were inhibited by some vegetables extracts. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study suggests that quorum sensing systems in Y. enterocolitica is significant in foods but depends upon the type of food. Determination of physiological functions in Y. enterocolitica which are regulated by quorum sensing and their relation to the production of AHLs in foods need to be further assessed.

Interaction of water activity and bicarbonate salts in the inhibition of growth and mycotoxin production by Fusarium and Aspergillus species of importance to corn.

The combined effects of water activity (a(w)) and ammonium/sodium bicarbonate on growth and mycotoxin production in corn by Fusarium and Aspergillus species were investigated. Interaction was observed between the salts and a(w) on the colony growth rates and lag phase durations of all isolates. Growth stimulation at low salt levels was observed only for the Fusarium isolates as the fastest growth of F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum occurred at levels of 0.1-0.2 and 0.5% ammonium and sodium bicarbonate, respectively. Although the complete inhibition of the growth of the Fusarium and Aspergillus isolates investigated took place at a level of 1% ammonium bicarbonate as much as 4% sodium bicarbonate failed to completely inhibit the growth of the Aspergillus isolates. Increase in concentration of either salt generally resulted in large reductions of both fumonisin B(1) and aflatoxin B(1) production. According to the sensorial analysis performed, corn treated with up to 1% ammonium bicarbonate was still acceptable for consumption, whereas corn treated with at least 2% sodium bicarbonate was determined to be sensorially unsuitable. Ammonium bicarbonate can be concluded to be more suitable for protecting stored corn from fungal contamination as it was capable of completely inhibiting both growth and mycotoxin production of the Fusarium and Aspergillus isolates of most importance to corn at levels that were still sensorially acceptable. Therefore ammonium bicarbonate could possibly be applied as a cheap and easy to apply treatment for use in resource limited developing countries.

Can phenolic compounds be used for the protection of corn from fungal invasion and mycotoxin contamination during storage?

The effect of natural phenolic compounds (vanillic and caffeic acid) and water activity (a(w)) on the growth and mycotoxin production on corn by Fusarium and Aspergillus isolates was investigated. Large differences were observed in the response of the Fusarium and Aspergillus isolates to the phenolic compounds, mostly determined by their genus. Generally for both F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum, an increase in concentration of either caffeic or vanillic acid resulted in a decrease in the colony growth rate and increase in the lag phase duration. Growth of the Fusarium isolates was not completely inhibited at the highest a(w) value evaluated of 0.967, with complete inhibition only being observed at combinations of high phenolic acid concentrations (> or =2000 microg g(-1)) and low a(w) values (0.948). Within the experimental limits investigated, growth of the Aspergillus species was not affected by the phenolic compounds. Application of the phenolic compounds significantly reduced fumonisin B(1) and aflatoxin B(1) production. Although the effects noted in artificial media appear to be carried over to corn, rather high concentrations are required to observe similar effects on corn and to completely inhibit growth where possible. This implies the occurrence of interactions of the phenolic compounds with some matrix components which may reduce their overall effectiveness.

Modelling of the individual and combined effects of water activity and temperature on the radial growth of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus on corn.

A full factorial design of five temperatures (16, 22, 25, 30 and 37 degrees C) and seven a(w) values between 0.801 and 0.982 was used to investigate the growth of the two major aflatoxin producing Aspergillus isolates on corn. The colony growth rates (g, mmd(-1)) and lag phases (lambda, d) were estimated by fitting a flexible primary growth model. Subsequently, secondary models relating g or lambda to a(w) or temperature or a(w) and temperature combined, were developed and validated by using independently collected data. The Gibson and linear Arrhenius-Davey model describing the individual effects of a(w) or temperature on g or lambda proved an adequate predictor of either growth parameter. Based on the validation criteria, a quadratic polynomial function proved to be more suitable than a Gaussian function or extended Davey model for describing the combined effect of a(w) and temperature on g or lambda. Both isolates studied had optimum growth temperatures of approximately 30 degrees C. No growth was observed for both isolates at a(w) 0.801, growth only occurring at 25 and 30 degrees C at a(w) 0.822. Significant interaction between a(w) and temperature on g and lambda was observed for both isolates. The developed models can be applied in the preservation of corn and the development of models that incorporate other factors important to mould growth on corn.

Shelf-life extension of minimally processed carrots by gaseous chlorine dioxide.

Chlorine dioxide (ClO(2)) gas is a strong oxidizing and sanitizing agent that has a broad and high biocidal effectiveness and big penetration ability; its efficacy to prolong the shelf-life of a minimally processed (MP) vegetable, grated carrots (Daucus carota L.), was tested in this study. Carrots were sorted, their ends removed, hand peeled, cut, washed, spin dried and separated in 2 portions, one to be treated with ClO(2) gas and the other to remain untreated for comparisons. MP carrots were decontaminated in a cabinet at 91% relative humidity and 28 degrees C for up to 6 min, including 30 s of ClO(2) injection to the cabinet, then stored under equilibrium modified atmosphere (4.5% O(2), 8.9% CO(2), 86.6% N(2)) at 7 degrees C for shelf-life studies. ClO(2) concentration in the cabinet rose to 1.33 mg/l after 30 s of treatment, and then fell to nil before 6 min. The shelf-life study included: O(2) and CO(2) headspace concentrations, microbiological quality (mesophilic aerobic bacteria, psychrotrophs, lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts), sensory quality (odour, flavour, texture, overall visual quality, and white blushing), and pH. ClO(2) did not affect respiration rate of MP carrots significantly (alpha< or =0.05), and lowered the pH significantly (alpha< or =0.05). The applied packaging configuration kept O(2) headspace concentrations in treated samples in equilibrium and prevented CO(2) accumulation. After ClO(2) treatment, the decontamination levels (log CFU/g) achieved were 1.88, 1.71, 2.60, and 0.66 for mesophilic aerobic bacteria, psychrotrophs, and yeasts respectively. The initial sensory quality of MP carrots was not impaired significantly (alpha< or =0.05). A lag phase of at least 2 days was observed for mesophilic aerobic bacteria, psychrotrophs, and lactic acid bacteria in treated samples, while mesophilic aerobic bacteria and psychrotrophs increased parallelly. Odour was the only important attribute in sensory deterioration, but it reached an unacceptable score when samples were already rejected from the microbiological point of view. The shelf-life extension was limited to one day due to the restricted effect of the ClO(2) treatment on yeast counts. Nevertheless, ClO(2) seems to be a promising alternative to prolong the shelf-life of grated carrots.

Individual and combined effects of ph and lactic acid concentration on Listeria innocua inactivation: development of a predictive model and assessment of experimental variability.

In food technology, organic acids (e.g., lactic acid, acetic acid, and citric acid) are popular preservatives. The purpose of this study was to separate the individual effects of the influencing factors pH and undissociated lactic acid on Listeria innocua inactivation. Therefore, the inactivation process was investigated under controlled, initial conditions of pH (pH0) and undissociated lactic acid ([LaH]0). The resulting inactivation curves consisted of a (sometimes negligible) shoulder period followed by a descent phase. In a few cases, a tailing phase was observed. Depending on the conditions, the descent phase contained one or two log-linear parts or had a convex or concave shape. In addition, the inactivation process was characterized by a certain variability, dependent on the severity of the conditions. Furthermore, in the neighborhood of the growth/no growth interface sometimes contradictory observations occurred. Overall, the individual effects of the influencing factors pH and undissociated lactic acid could clearly be distinguished and were also apparent based on fluorescence microscopy. Appropriate model types were developed and enabled prediction of which conditions of pH0 and [LaH]0 are necessary to obtain a predetermined inactivation (number of decimal reductions) within a predetermined time range.

Evaluation of two viral extraction methods for the detection of human noroviruses in shellfish with conventional and real-time reverse transcriptase PCR.

AIMS: Comparison of two viral extraction methods in order to establish a sensitive and simple detection method for human noroviruses (NV) in bivalve shellfish. METHODS AND RESULTS: A direct RNA extraction method and an alkaline virus elution-concentration method were tested on artificially contaminated mussels. The latter used an alkaline buffer and polyethylene glycol (PEG) to isolate and concentrate the virus particles from shellfish. In both methods Trizol was used to release RNA. The final RNA extracts were amplified and detected with conventional and real-time reverse transcriptase PCR. The direct RNA extraction method was not able to detect low inoculation levels. However, the virus elution-concentration method was more sensitive. CONCLUSIONS: The alkaline elution-PEG concentration method followed by Trizol effectively removed inhibitory components and fulfilled the demands to be a useful tool for routine testing of shellfish for NV detection. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Because of the lack of standardized methods to detect NV in shellfish, many 'in-house' extraction methods are used in practice. A comparison of these methods aims to determine a simple, rapid and sensitive method that could be a candidate method for screening suspected shellfish.