Influences of malic acid and nisin supplementations on the decimal reduction times of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in mildly-heated young coconut liquid endosperm

This study was conducted to determine the effects of malic acid (800–1500 ppm) and nisin (0–150 ppm) on the heat resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in young coconut liquid endosperm. The Central Composite Rotatable Design was applied to determine the various combinations of the two supplements to be added to young coconut liquid endosperm. The lowest D₅₅ value was observed in the combination of 1500 ppm malic acid and 75 ppm nisin at 14.89 ± 4.17 min, while highest was 27.04 ± 4.98 min in the combination of 1150 ppm malic acid and 75 ppm nisin. The D₅₅ values established from the combinations tested did not significantly vary, indicating that within the ranges of supplementation tested, significant influences of both additives and their interaction on the heat resistance of the pathogen did not exist. It was however emphasized that all supplementation combinations resulted in D₅₅ values significantly lower than that in the unsupplemented medium, reducing the heat resistance of the cells by as much as 3-folds. Therefore, thermal processes to be established in the supplemented liquid endosperm shall be less severe, and may be applied to preserve sensory attributes.     

High-pressure processing and boiling water treatments for reducing Listeria monocytogenes,Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus during beef jerky processing

Beef jerky is a convenient, ready-to-eat meat product, but requires processing lethality steps to ensure the safety of the product. Previous outbreaks involving various jerky products have highlighted the risks associated with jerky and the importance of utilizing pathogen interventions during processing. In this study, two alternative interventions were evaluated for reducing pathogen populations during jerky processing. Results demonstrated that high pressure processing (HPP; two treatments of 550 MPa, 60 s) could produce significant (p < 0.05), but variable reductions (6.83 and 4.45 log₁₀ CFU/strip) of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157:H7, respectively, on resulting beef jerky. HPP treatments, however, produced minor reductions (p < 0.05) of Gram-positive pathogens, resulting in reductions of 1.28 and 1.32 log₁₀ CFU/strip of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. Alternatively, boiling water (100 ± 2 °C) treatments (20–30 s) used after marination and prior to dehydration, reduced Salmonella spp., E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, and S. aureus populations >5.0 log₁₀ CFU/strip in resulting beef jerky. Thus, 20 or 30 s boiling water (100 ± 2 °C) treatments could be effective interventions for commercial jerky processors or home food preservers. Future validation of these processes in-plant could provide processors and regulators with alternative strategies for safe and shelf-stable jerky products.     

Simultaneous detection of Escherichia coli O175:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes by multiplex PCR

The wide application of nucleic acid amplification techniques and the increasing industrial interest toward rapid methods has led to the development and application of PCR based methods for the detection of microbial pathogens in food. In the present paper we describe the development of a multiplex PCR method for simultaneous detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a complex food matrix (liquid whole egg).Four different DNA extraction procedures were evaluated for their application on food and, among these, Chelex resin combined with a DNA purification step were found to better perform on the food system considered.A multiplex PCR system was developed, based on the evaluation and combination of published primer sets, and applied to the simultaneous detection of the target pathogens plus an internal amplification control, both in culture media and in a model food system.The overall system proposed, based on an overnight enrichment step followed by DNA isolation and multiplex PCR, was satisfactorily tested for its specificity and sensitivity and allowed the detection of the presence of bacterial DNA and the identification of the target pathogens down to 10 cells/25 g liquid whole egg.     

Efficacy of sanitizers in reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes populations on fresh-cut carrots

Shredded carrots were inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes and washed for 1 or 2 min with chlorine (Cl; 200 ppm), peroxyacetic acid (PA; 40 ppm) or acidified sodium chlorite (ASC; 100, 200, 500 ppm) under simulated commercial processing conditions. After washed, the carrots were spin dried, packaged and stored at 5 °C for up to 10 days. Bacterial enumeration was significantly (P ⩽ 0.05) reduced by 1, 1.5 and 2.5 log CFU/g after washing with ASC 100, 250 and 500 ppm, respectively. All sanitizers reduced pathogen load below that of tap water wash and unwashed controls. During storage at 5 °C the bacterial load of all treatments increased gradually, but to different extent in different treatments. ASC inhibited bacterial growth more effectively than the other sanitizers and also maintained the lowest pathogen counts (<1 log CFU/g) during storage. Organic matter in the process water significantly (P ⩽ 0.05) reduced the antibacterial efficacy of Cl, but not that of PA or ASC. Therefore, ASC shows the potential to be used as a commercial sanitizer for washing shredded carrots.     

Evaluation of a novel antimicrobial solution and its potential for control Escherichia coli O157:H7, non-O157:H7 shiga toxin-producing E. coli,Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes on beef

The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a novel antimicrobial solution made with chitosan, lauric arginate ester, and organic acids on Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and non-O157 shiga toxin-producing E. coli cocktails and to test its potential to be used as a marinade for raw beef. Fresh beef top round steaks were surface-inoculated with the pathogen cocktails at approximately 2.5 or 4.5 Log CFU/cm², marinated with the antimicrobial solution (AMS), and then stored at 4 °C for 6, 24, and 48 h. Three commercially available marinades were used for comparison. Results revealed that AMS had the most antimicrobial effect regardless of the type or inoculation level of pathogens (P < 0.05). After 6 h, the AMS marination reduced all pathogens to levels below the limit of detection (<1 Log CFU/cm²), resulting in a 3.5 Log CFU/cm² reduction. When AMS was diluted with autoclaved distilled water by 5 times (AMS 1:5) or 10 times (AMS 1:10), its antimicrobial efficacy was impacted by marination time, the inoculated pathogens, and the inoculation levels. This study demonstrates that the developed antimicrobial solution has a great potential to be used during marination by consumers to ensure better food safety.     

The influence of acid stress on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on cooked ham

Acid solutions are increasingly being used for decontaminating meat surfaces. On the surfaces of acid-treated meat, the population of microorganism is reduced due to the low pH of acids, and the subsequent growth of the microorganism is reduced due to the residual acids on meat surfaces. Microbial cells on meat surfaces subjected to acid treatments may cross-contaminate untreated meat surfaces, e.g., microorganisms on the surfaces of acid-treated cooked ham cross contaminate the untreated surfaces during slicing. The objective of this study was to examine this scenario in determining the subsequent growth of acid-treated Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on the surfaces of untreated meat. Cells of multiple-strain L. monocytogenes or E. coli O157:H7 were exposed to HCl solutions of pH 3, 4, or 5 and deionized water at room temperature for 24 h. The acid or deionized water-treated cells were inoculated separately onto cooked ham. Samples inoculated with L. monocytogenes were stored at 4 and 8 °C and samples inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 were stored at 10 and 12 °C. Populations of the pathogens on ham were enumerated during storage, and the lag phase durations (LPD, h) and growth rates (GR, log CFU/h) of the pathogens were determined. The populations of L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 in pH 5, 4, and 3 solutions were 1.2–3.1 and 0.6–2.4 log CFU/ml, respectively, lower than those in deionized water, indicating an increased acid stress on both microorganisms at lower pHs. L. monocytogenes subjected to pH 3 and pH 4 stresses and E. coli O157:H7 subjected to pH 3 stress exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) extended LPDs and reduced GRs on cooked ham. The growth of L. monocytogenes on ham was more readily reduced by acid stress than that of E. coli O157:H7. This study showed that acid treatments reduced the viability of L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7and the acid stress reduced their subsequent growth ability on untreated ham. Therefore, cross-contamination of L. monocytogenes or E. coli O157:H7 cells from acid-treated meat surfaces onto untreated meat surfaces may not impose increased risk to the product.     

Influences of vanillin and licorice root extract supplementations on the decimal reduction times of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in mildly heated young coconut liquid endosperm

This study determined the influences of supplementing different combinations of vanillin (0–500 ppm) and licorice root extract (LRE, 0–420 ppm) on the mild heat (55 °C) decimal reduction times (D₅₅-values) of a cocktail of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in young coconut liquid endosperm. The maximum level of supplementation per additive tested was previously established not to result in the lowering of general consumer acceptability of the liquid endosperm. The D₅₅-values ranged from 15.08 to 31.40 min. The influences of both additives on the D₅₅-value fitted significantly into a 2-factor, interaction model with only the joint effect of the additives having significant effect on D₅₅. The combined efficacies of the additives were most significant at concentrations above 250 ppm vanillin and 210 ppm LRE. The results obtained may be used in the establishment of mild heat pasteurization processes for supplemented young coconut liquid endosperm, for better control of quality and safety.     

Quantification of Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in non-spiked food products and evaluation of real-time PCR as a diagnostic tool in routine food analysis

Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. are foodborne pathogens frequently associated with foods such as poultry, ready-to-eat products, fruits and vegetables. PCR-based procedures are rapid, sensitive and accurate; in particular, real-time PCR (qPCR), which besides being an automated high-throughput technique, allows quantification of foodborne pathogens. In the present work, qPCR-based methods were applied for the quantitative detection of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes in a total of 306 non-spiked food samples in a study carried out in two laboratories simultaneously. qPCR allowed the detection of the three pathogens in around 20% of the analyzed samples for each pathogen. Quantification results revealed the presence of the three pathogens mostly at levels between 10² and 10⁴ cells/g. Besides quantification, the qPCR results (presence/absence) were compared with those of the standard mini-VIDAS system. In order to determine which were the “true” positive samples, conventional PCR was carried out after the corresponding enrichment for each pathogen. These results were considered as the gold standard for further analysis. The statistical analysis of global data recording the presence of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes, together with data previously obtained for Salmonella spp., revealed that qPCR outperformed the mini-VIDAS procedures, in terms of both time and accuracy. Thus, these results proved qPCR to be useful as a rapid diagnostic test for the direct detection of pathogens in food, without the need for enrichment steps.     

Effect of hydrogen peroxide vapor treatment for inactivating Salmonella Typhimurium,Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes on organic fresh lettuce

In this study, the efficacy of hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) for reducing Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes on lettuce was investigated as well as its effect on lettuce quality. Lettuce was inoculated with a cocktail containing three strains of each pathogen then treated with vaporized hydrogen peroxide for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 min. The concentrations of hydrogen peroxide used were 0, 1, 3, 5 and 10%. With increasing treatment time and hydrogen peroxide concentration, HPV treatment showed significant (P < 0.05) reduction compared to the control (0%, treated with vaporized distilled water). In particular, vaporized 10% hydrogen peroxide treatment for 10 min was the most effective combination for reducing the three pathogens on lettuce. The reduction levels of S. Typhimurium, E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes on lettuce were 3.12, 3.15 and 2.95 log₁₀ CFU/g, respectively. Furthermore, there were no significant (P > 0.05) quality changes (color and texture) of lettuce among all tested samples, and hydrogen peroxide residues were not detected after 36 h storage time in any of the treated samples. These results suggest that HPV treatment could be an alternative method for reducing S. Typhimurium, E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes on fresh produce.     

Antimicrobial activity of malic acid against Listeria monocytogenes,Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in apple,pear and melon juices

Minimal inhibitory (MIC) and minimal bactericidal (MBC) concentrations of malic acid against Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli O157:H7 inoculated in apple, pear and melon juices stored at 5, 20 and 35 °C were evaluated. MICs and MBCs against L. monocytogenes, S. Enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 were significantly affected by storage temperature, juice characteristics and type of microorganism. Malic acid was more effective at 35 and 20 °C than at 5 °C in all studied fruit juices. E. coli O157:H7 was more resistant to malic acid than S. Enteritidis and L. monocytogenes. Apple, pear and melon juices without malic acid were inhibitory to E. coli O157:H7, S. Enteritidis and L. monocytogenes at 5 °C, whereas, MBCs of 1.5% (v/v) of malic acid in apple and pear juices, and 2% (v/v) in melon juice at 5 °C were needed to reduce E. coli O157:H7, those concentrations being higher than those required to reduce S. Enteritidis and L. monocytogenes in those fruit juices. In addition, concentrations of 2%, 2.5% and 2.5% (v/v) of malic acid added to apple, pear and melon juices, respectively, were required to inactivate the three pathogens by more than 5 log cycles after 24 h of storage at 5 °C. Transmission electron microscopy showed that malic acid produced damage in the cell cytoplasm of pathogens without apparent changes in the cell membrane.     

Simulation of decontamination and transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Enteritidis,and Listeria monocytogenes during handling of raw vegetables in domestic kitchens

Epidemiological data indicates that a large number of foodborne illnesses are attributed to cross-contamination during food preparation in the domestic kitchen. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficiency of household washing practices in removing Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella Enteritidis on artificially contaminated lettuce and to determine the transfer rate of these three foodborne pathogens from contaminated lettuce to wash water, tomato, cabbage, and cutting boards during washing and cutting processes. Washing under the running tap water with scrubbing for 60 s was the most effective method in reducing pathogen populations by 1.86–2.60 log₁₀ CFU/g. Also, final rinsing and scrubbing practices were found to enhance the efficiency of washing treatment. In this study, the transfer rates of S. Enteritidis, E. coli O157:H7, and L. monocytogenes from cutting board to cabbage and tomato via cutting process (17.5–31.7%) were higher (P < 0.05) than from wash water to cabbage and tomato (0.8–23.0%) during washing treatment. Overall, our findings suggest that wash water and cutting board can be potential vehicles in the dissemination of foodborne pathogens. Therefore, there is a need to promote consumer awareness for proper handling practices in the kitchen to minimise the risk of foodborne infection.     

The effect of pulsed UV light on Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes,Salmonella Typhimurium,Staphylococcus aureus and staphylococcal enterotoxin A on sliced fermented salami and its chemical quality

Pulsed UV light (PL) applied at a fluence of 3 J/cm² was effective to reduce Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus for 2.24, 2.29, 2.25 and 2.12 log CFU/g on the surface of dry fermented salami. Further increase in the fluence of PL treatment did not increase levels of microbial inactivation. However, the time interval between the contamination and PL treatment was found to have a significant impact on the efficacy of PL treatment and should be kept as short as possible. After initial PL treatment slices of fermented salami were packed in vacuum or in 80%CO₂/20%N₂ modified atmosphere and stored at 4 °C to investigate the effect of PL treatment on protein and lipid oxidation as the shelf life of fermented salami is not usually limited by microbial deterioration, but by chemical and sensory alterations. In this study observed lipid oxidation values for PL treated vacuum and modified atmosphere packed fermented salami slices fall within the acceptable threshold for the rancid odor, except for the sample treated with the highest fluence tested (15 J/cm²), packed in modified atmosphere and kept in cold storage for 9 weeks (1.23 mg MDA/kg). All values were below the threshold for rancid flavor, too. The significant rise in protein oxidation of PL treated fermented salami slices, perceived as 28% increase of carbonyl content compared to untreated samples, was observed only after 9 weeks of cold storage in both vacuum and modified atmosphere packed samples. The results of chemical analysis are in agreement with previously published results of sensory analysis. Current results show the applicability of PL to improve microbial safety of sliced fermented salami that are prone to cross-contamination without affecting quality attributes by lipid and protein oxidation.     

Evaluation of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil activity against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes by propidium monoazide quantitative PCR in vegetables

Essential oils (EOs) have long been applied as flavoring agents in foods, and due to their content in antimicrobial compounds, they have potential as natural agents for food preservation. Recently, real-time PCR in combination with PMA has successfully been applied to discriminate between live Escherichia coli O157:H7 and dead bacteria killed by cumin, clove, oregano and cinnamon EOs. In this study, initial experiments were performed in order to elucidate the minimum bactericidal concentration of Zataria multiflora EOs on E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes. Thereafter PMA-qPCR was applied in order to selectively quantify life cells within a bacterial population treated with Z. multiflora EO. Inactivation was obtained at EO concentrations of 0.02, 0.035, 0.045 for L. monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica, respectively. L. monocytogenes were totally killed in 30 min while it took 1 h 30 min for the gram negative pathogens. As a conclusion Z. multiflora EO has potential as natural food additive or biopreservative since it was able to irreversibly inactivate the three pathogens tested, at lower concentrations than other EOs and short exposition times. In addition, the PMA-qPCR approach proved efficient to selectively detect live pathogenic bacteria in vegetables following inactivation with Z. multiflora EO.     

Efficacy of aqueous chlorine dioxide and fumaric acid for inactivating pre-existing microorganisms and Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium,and Listeria monocytogenes on broccoli sprouts

The combined effect of aqueous chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) and fumaric acid as a chemical treatment to inactivate pre-existing microorganisms was evaluated using broccoli sprouts. Broccoli sprouts were treated with distilled water, 50 ppm ClO₂, 0.5% fumaric acid, and a combination of 0.5% fumaric acid and 50 ppm ClO₂. Treatment with 50 ppm ClO₂ and 0.5% fumaric acid reduced the initial populations of total aerobic bacteria, yeasts and molds, and coliforms in broccoli sprouts by 2.70, 2.46, and 1.71 log CFU/g, respectively. In addition, the combined treatment of 50 ppm ClO₂ and 0.5% fumaric acid reduced the initial populations of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated on broccoli sprouts by 2.39, 2.74, and 2.65 log CFU/g, respectively, compared to the control. These results suggest that the combination of aqueous ClO₂ and fumaric acid can be useful as a hurdle for extending the shelf life of broccoli sprouts during storage.     

Reduction of Escherichia coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium populations on fresh-cut bell pepper using gaseous ozone

Bacterial contamination is the main cause of food poisoning which can lead to diarrhoea, abdominal cramp, vomiting as well as death. Bacterial contamination can potentially be controlled by application of gaseous ozone due to its antibacterial activity. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of gaseous ozone for reducing food-borne pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium on fresh-cut bell pepper. Efficacy of gaseous ozone to reduce bacterial populations was investigated in vitro and in vivo. Results showed that optimum effect of ozone on reducing bacterial populations was achieved with short term exposures of less than 6 h. Ozone reduced the bacterial population by disrupting bacterial cell structure, which lead to cellular death. Results also showed that bacterial cells have different resistance to ozone where ozone was more effective against L. monocytogenes, followed by E. coli O157 and Salmonella Typhimurium. Optimal reduction of the bacterial population on fresh-cut bell pepper was achieved with exposure to 9 ppm ozone for 6 h. This treatment reduced 2.89, 2.56 and 3.06 log of E. coli O157, Salmonella Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes populations, respectively. In conclusion, exposure to 9 ppm ozone for 6 h helps in reducing food-borne pathogen on fresh-cut bell pepper and has high potential to be an alternative sanitization treatment to reduce pathogen population on fruit.     

The bactericidal activity of acidic electrolyzed oxidizing water against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium,and Listeria monocytogenes on raw fish,chicken and beef surfaces

The bactericidal efficacy of acidic electrolyzed oxidizing water (AC-EW) (pH = 2.30, free chlorine = 38 ppm) and sterile distilled water (DW) on three pathogens (Escherichia coli O157:H7 Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes) inoculated on raw trout skin, chicken legs and beef meat surfaces was evaluated. The decontaminating effect of AC-EW and DW was tested for 0 (control), 1, 3, 5 and 10 min at 22 °C. AC-EW significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the three pathogens in the inoculated samples compared to the control and DW. The level of reduction ranged between ca.1.5–1.6 logs for E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium in the inoculated foods. However, AC-EW exhibited less bactericidal effect against L. monocytogenes (1.1–1.3 logs reduction). AC-EW elicited about 1.6–2.0 log reduction in the total mesophilic count. Similar treatment with DW reduced pathogens load by ca. 0.2–1.0 log reduction and total mesophiles by ca. 0.5–0.7 logs. No complete elimination of the three pathogens was obtained using AC-EW possibly because of the level of organic matter and blood moving from food samples to the AC-EW solution. This study demonstrates that AC-EW could considerably reduce common foodborne pathogens in fish, chicken and beef products.     

A comparison of saturated steam and superheated steam for inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium,and Listeria monocytogenes biofilms on polyvinyl chloride and stainless steel

This study was performed to compare the effectiveness of saturated steam (SS) and superheated steam (SHS) in the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes biofilms on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and stainless steel. Biofilms were formed on PVC and stainless steel coupons by using a mixture of three strains each of three foodborne pathogens at 25 °C. After biofilm development, PVC and stainless steel coupons were treated with SS at 100 °C and SHS at 125, 150, 175, and 200 °C for 5, 10, 20, and 30 s on both sides. The viable cell numbers of biofilms were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced as SHS temperature and exposure time increased. For all biofilm cells, SHS treatment resulted in an additional log reduction compared to SS treatments. After exposure to 200 °C steam for 30 s or 10 s on PVC or stainless steel, respectively, the numbers of biofilm cells were reduced to below the detection limit (1.48 log). This study demonstrated that SHS treatment effectively reduced populations of biofilm cells and reduced disinfection time compared to SS treatments and further evaluated its potential as an excellent intervention for controlling microbial biofilms and enhancing safety in the food processing industry.     

Combined treatment with chlorine dioxide gas,fumaric acid,and ultraviolet-C light for inactivating Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated on plums

Combined non-thermal treatment with chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) gas, ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light, and fumaric acid was performed to inactivate Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 inoculated on plums. Plums were treated with ClO₂ gas (15 and 30 ppmv), fumaric acid (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5%), and by UV-C irradiation (3, 5, and 10 kJ/m²). The single treatments with 15 or 30 ppmv ClO₂ gas, 0.5% fumaric acid, and 10 kJ/m² UV-C decreased the population of L. monocytogenes by 1.78, 2.00, 1.65, and 1.62 log CFU/g, respectively, and the population of E. coli O157:H7 by 1.73, 1.81, 1.34, and 2.07 log CFU/g, respectively. In addition, combined treatments reduced the populations of the pathogenic bacteria more than each treatment alone. In particular, the combined treatment with ClO₂ gas (30 ppmv) for 20 min, fumaric acid (0.5%), and UV-C (10 kJ/m²) decreased the populations of L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 by 6.26 and 5.48 log CFU/g, respectively. These results suggest that combined treatment with ClO₂ gas, UV-C light, and fumaric acid may be a useful hurdle technology to enhance the microbiological safety of plums.     

Effects of lactic acid and lauricidin on the survival of Listeria monocytogenes,Salmonella enteritidis and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in chicken breast stored at 4 °C

Lauricidin and lactic acid were evaluated for their effects on growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes (L55), Salmonella enteritidis (S552) and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E19) inoculated onto raw chicken breast. Fresh, raw chicken breasts were purchased immediately after slaughter and transported on ice to the laboratory within 20 min. Each chicken breast was decontaminated by briefly dipping in 70% ethanol and passed through a flame of a Bunsen burner and then allowed to cool. The decontaminated Chicken breast was dipped in TSB broth, at room temperature (25 °C) for 15 min, containing approximately log 9 CFU/ml of L. monocytogenes, S. enteritidis or E. coli O157:H7. Initial counts of L. monocytogenes, S. enteritidis or E. coli O157:H7 counts in chicken breast immediately after dipping in TSB broth were in the range of log 7–log 8 CFU/g. After inoculation, the chicken breasts were kept at room temperature for 20 min to allow attachment. Each inoculated chicken breast (25 °C) was dipped in 0 (control – sterile water), 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% or 2% of lauricidin (w/v) or lactic acid (v/v) for 10, 20 or 30 min and then individually placed in oxygen-permeable polyethylene bags. Breasts were subjected to microbiological analyses after treatment (day 0) and after storage for 2, 5, 7, 10 and 14 d at 4 °C. Initial counts of L. monocytogenes, S. enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7, in chicken breast treated with lauricidin decreased by 2.90, 1.31 and 2.27 log CFU/g, respectively. Lauricidin was more effective in reducing L. monocytogenes population than S. enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 population. Dipping chicken breast in lauricidin for 30 min caused a significant reduction of L. monocytogenes, S. enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 population compared to 10 and 20 min dipping. Initial L. monocytogenes, S. enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 counts on chicken breast treated with lactic acid decreased by 1.97, 1.71 and 2.59 log CFU/g, respectively. Lactic acid caused a higher reduction in initial S. enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 counts compared to lauricidin.     

Inhibitory effects of selected plant essential oils on the growth of four pathogenic bacteria: E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium,Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes

Twenty eight essential oils were evaluated for their antibacterial properties, against four pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes 2812 1/2a, Salmonella Typhimurium SL 1344 and Staphylococcus aureus). Essential oils were introduced into Brain Heart Infusion agar (BHI) (15 ml) at a concentration of 0.003%, 0.006%, 0.013%, 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.8% (vol/vol) to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the maximal tolerated concentration (MTC) for each pathogen evaluated. Results showed that the most active essential oils against bacteria tested were Corydothymus capitatus, Cinnamomum cassia, Origanum heracleoticum, Satureja montana, and Cinnamomum verum (bark). These showed a MIC ⩽ 0.05% (vol/vol) for all bacteria tested. For the MTC, with the exception of S. Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes where a MTC of 0.025% (vol/vol) was observed in presence of Cinnamomum verum and Cinnamomum cassia, respectively, a MTC ⩽ 0.013% (vol/vol) was observed for all other bacteria and the three other most active essential oils. Three oils (Satureja hortensis, Thymus vulgaris carvacroliferum, Origanum compactum) showed a MIC ⩽ 0.1% (vol/vol) for all bacteria tested. Seven oils (Thymus vulgaris thymoliferum, Thymus serpyllum, Thymus satureioides, Cymbopogon martinii, Pimenta dioica, Cinnamomum verum (leaf), Eugenia caryophyllus) showed a lower antimicrobial activity showing a MIC ⩽ 0.4% (vol/vol) against the four bacteria tested. Finally, 13 essential oils were less active showing a MIC value ⩾ 0.8% (vol/vol) against at least one bacterium.