Inactivation of Anisakis simplex larvae in raw fish using high hydrostatic pressure treatments

The nematode larvae of the Anisakis genus are one of the main health hazards for consumers of raw fish or similar, such as “carpaccio”, and cold smoked or marinated products.This study evaluated the efficacy of high hydrostatic pressure treatments on Anisakis larvae in mackerel (Scomber scombrus) from the North Sea. From the treatment parameters studied, a combination of 300 MPa for 5 min resulted as being capable of inactivating 100% of the larvae present in the tissues of the fish treated. Biomolecular examination confirmed their main belonging to the species Anisakis simplex sensu stricto.The use of this technology is for the treatment of other fatty fish such as sardines and anchovies prior to marinating.     

Inactivation of foodborne pathogens on the surfaces of different packaging materials using low-pressure air plasma

In the present study, low-pressure glow discharge plasma was used for surface decontamination of the common food packaging materials, namely glass, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, and paper foil. Low-pressure air plasma was generated over a vacuum pressure range of 0.5–5.0 Torr, and at a power density range of 12.4–54.1 mW/cm³. Compared to plasma-unexposed surfaces, no significant changes in optical properties, color characteristics, surface temperatures, tensile strengths, and deformation strains were observed with plasma-exposed surfaces. On plasma exposure of food pathogens-loaded packaging materials surfaces, as high as 4-log reduction (99.99%) in viable cell counts of tested food pathogens, especially Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus, was observed within 5 min. And, the pathogens inactivation pattern can be better explained by Singh-Heldman model. Therefore, low-pressure air plasma was shown to be effective for inactivation of major foodborne pathogens, and different food packaging materials can be decontaminated using the plasma without adversely affecting their physical properties.     

Inactivation of foodborne pathogens on gala apples by application of antimicrobial waxes

There is a need for effective postharvest controls capable of inactivating bacterial foodborne pathogens, which can be applied to the organic and conventional apple industries. This study evaluated the efficacy of natural antimicrobials (essential oils or cultured dextrose) when incorporated into carnauba wax and applied to apples. Organic Gala apples were spot inoculated with a five strains/serovars cocktail (∼9 Log CFU/mL) of Listeria monocytogenes, Shiga-toxigenic E. coli O157:H7, or Salmonella. Inoculated apples were coated with organic carnauba wax containing a 1% and 2% (v/v) mixture of essential oils (EOs) in equal proportions (oregano, clove bud, cinnamon bark, and coriander seed) or commercially cultured dextrose at 0.5% (w/v). Apples coated with carnauba wax only and uncoated apples were used as control treatments. Apples were stored at 20 °C and sampled for up to 40 days. Five treatments with three biological replicates and three samples per replicate were used for each treatment (n = 9). A sensory discrimination test was used to identify differences between waxed apples for treatments with the greatest efficacy. Carnauba wax containing 2% EOs was the most effective treatment for inactivating target foodborne pathogens inoculated on apples for 40 days. This treatment showed 4.05, 1.38 and 2.81 Log CFU/apple reduction in L. monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella, respectively, compared to uncoated apples. Carnauba wax containing 2% EOs showed significantly (P ≤ 0.001) lower populations of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella compared with 1% EOs, 0.5% cultured dextrose, or wax-only control. In contrast, there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) for E. coli O157:H7. Sensory evaluation showed that panelists could detect differences for apples treated with wax containing 2% EOs, but not for 1% EOs compared to wax-only control. This study provides information to the organic and conventional apple industry about the efficacy of antimicrobial waxes to inactivate bacterial foodborne pathogens.     

Inactivation of foodborne pathogens in powdered red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) using combined UV-C irradiation and mild heat treatment

This study was performed to investigate the effectiveness of combined ultraviolet (UV-C) irradiation and mild heating as an alternative to conventional inactivation of foodborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium on powdered red pepper. A cocktail of three strains of E. coli O157:H7 ATCC 35150, ATCC 43889, ATCC 43890) and S. Typhimurium (ATCC 19585, ATCC 43971, DT 104) was inoculated onto powdered red pepper and then treated with UV-C irradiation and mild heat. A constant UV intensity (3.40 mW/cm²) of the emitting lamps was applied to samples for 5, and 10 min at 25, 35, 45, 55, and 65 °C, respectively. Also, quality change of powdered red pepper was measured in order to identify the efficiency of combined treatment. The reduction levels of E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium on powdered red pepper when treated with UV-C irradiation alone at 20.4 kJ/m² for 10 min was 0.22 and 0.29 log CFU/g, respectively. While, combined treatment with mild heating at 65 °C reduced the surviving numbers of each pathogens by 2.88 and 3.06 log CFU/g, respectively. Although the inactivation efficiency was influenced less by the UV-C radiation dose, the synergistic effect was observed with increasing temperature and UV-C radiation dose. CIE color value and extractable color value were not significantly (P > 0.05) different between non-treated and combination treated samples. The moisture and capsaicinoids contents showed significant (P < 0.05) differences when treated at 65 °C because of sample drying during heat treatment. Therefore, these results suggest that UV-C irradiation combined with mild heating can be utilized by the food industry in order to effectively inactivate E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium without incurring quality deterioration of powdered red pepper.     

Reuterin,lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin and high hydrostatic pressure on the inactivation of food-borne pathogens in cooked ham

The antimicrobial effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing combined with reuterin, lactoperoxydase system (LPS) and lactoferrin (LF) on the survival of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in sliced cooked ham stored under strict refrigeration temperature (4 °C) and mild temperature abuse conditions (10 °C) was investigated. One day after treatment, L. monocytogenes counts in HHP at 450 MPa for 5 min were 0.8 log units lower, but a recovery was observed with counts not significantly different to those observed in control after 35 d. S. Enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 levels were reduced around 5 log cfu/g by the pressure treatment (450 MPa/5 min) and the numbers of these pathogens did not increase significantly during the 35 d of storage at 4 °C. The individual application of reuterin and LPS influenced the survival of the three pathogens studied, extending the lag phase of L. monocytogenes and diminishing S. Enteritidis and E. coli levels throughout storage, whereas no effect was recorded when LF was added. When reuterin or LPS were applied in combination with HHP there was a synergistic antimicrobial effect against L. monocytogenes, avoiding at 4 °C the recovery observed with individual treatments. These combined treatments also kept the levels of S. Enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 below the detection limit (<1 log unit) in cooked ham stored at 4 and 10 °C during 35 d. The results obtained in the present work suggest that HHP at 450 MPa for 5 min in combination with LPS or reuterin would be useful as a hurdle technology approach against L. monocytogenes, S. Enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 in cooked ham.     

Responses of microorganisms to high hydrostatic pressure processing

High-pressure processing (HPP) entails the pasteurization of food using pressure in the 100–600 MPa range, which results in a reduction of microbial loads and thus extends the shelf life of the processed food. Under HPP, natural flavors can be retained to provide food of superior quality and nutritional value. All food-processing techniques must conform to sanitation and safety-related specifications before they can be employed in food and commercially applied. The pasteurization settings and control of conventional thermal processing techniques have been practically applied. Furthermore, appropriate heat-resistant strains can be selected as target microorganisms to verify the sanitation and ensure effective food safety. However, HPP is still an emerging processing technique, necessitating further investigation of its related scientific theories, parameter standards, and commercial applications. Therefore, the scientific theories behind HPP should be fully understood before appropriate parameter conditions such as pressure, temperature, time, and pH can be accurately selected. Among these, the pressure-resistant characteristics of various microorganisms, as well as their potential physiological response to HPP, are key factors that must be considered when developing HPP foods. As reviewed in this paper, the pressure-resistant characteristics of microorganisms can facilitate the selection of target microorganisms, which can provide a reference for setting pasteurization conditions during food HPP, and reduce the possible unanticipated food safety issues caused by microorganisms after HPP.     

Efficacy of pulsed electric fields for the inactivation of indicator microorganisms and foodborne pathogens in liquids and raw chicken

This study investigated the ability of pulsed electric fields (PEF) to inactivate a range of microorganisms in liquid media and on raw chicken meat. The susceptibilities of ten Campylobacter isolates (seven Campylobacter jejuni isolates and three Campylobacter coli isolates), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Salmonella Enteritidis (ATCC 13076) to PEF in liquid media were investigated. All Campylobacter isolates tested in liquid were susceptible to PEF treatment (65 kV/cm, 5 μs, 500 Hz) with reductions of between 4.33 and 7.22 log₁₀ CFU/mL observed for the longest treatment (30 s). Significant differences in susceptibility were observed between Campylobacter isolates subjected to equivalent PEF treatments ranging from 2.41 to 5.19 log₁₀ CFU/mL. Campylobacter isolates processed in liquid media were found to be more sensitive to PEF than E. coli and S. Enteritidis (P < 0.05). The application of PEF (3.75 and 15 kV/cm, 10 μs, 5 Hz) to inoculated samples of raw chicken did not result in any significant reductions in total viable counts, Enterobacteriaceae, C. jejuni, E. coli or S. Enteritidis. Therefore, under the conditions used in this study, PEF technology may not be suitable as a food safety intervention measure for the control of microbial contaminants on broilers during processing although it may have potential to reduce contamination of process water (e.g. scald or spin chill water).     

Incidence of foodborne pathogens on European fish

Fresh fish from France, Great Britain and Portugal were examined for the pathogens Aeromonas hydrophila, Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Yersinia enterocolitica, whilst fish from Greece were examined for A. hydrophila, Cl. botulinum and V. parahaemolyticus only. Cl. botulinum and Salmonella spp. were not detected from any of the samples examined. L. monocytogenes was detected from trout and Y. enterocolitica from both salmon and trout in Great Britain but neither were detected in samples from France or Portugal. A. hydrophila was detected from all sites, with an overall incidence of 40%, whilst V. parahaemolyticus was detected in samples from Portugal (35%) and Greece (14%) but not in those from Great Britain or France.     

The incidence of significant foodborne pathogens in domestic refrigerators

The interior surfaces of household refrigerators are at risk of becoming contaminated with foodborne pathogens, increasing the risks of cross-contamination to other food items, including higher risk ready-to-eat foods. This study determined the incidence of a number of significant foodborne pathogens, and the general hygienic status (as estimated by total viable counts (TVCs), and total coliform counts (TCCs)) on the interior surfaces of domestic refrigerators (n = 342). Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157:H7 were not recovered from any refrigerators, but Staphylococcus aureus was recovered from 6.4%, Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli from 1.2% and Yersinia enterocolitica from 0.6% of examined refrigerators. As the recovered species can survive and grow under refrigeration or conditions of mild temperature abuse, such pathogens may transfer to (and develop to clinically significant numbers in) food in domestic fridges. Such risks are of particular concern in relation to “ready-to-eat” foods, which will not receive further bactericidal treatments (cooking) before consumption. The study estimated TVCs ranging from 2.91 log₁₀ cfu/cm² to 8.78 log₁₀ cfu/cm² and TTCs ranging from 0.045 log₁₀ cfu/cm² to 5.96 log₁₀ cfu/cm² indicating very poor standards of consumer refrigerator management and hygiene, and posing risks to consumer health. The study findings highlight the importance of adequate temperature control and thorough, regular cleaning of domestic refrigerators to ensure food safety, and of effective cooking as the last link in the domestic food service chain.     

Inactivation of Staphylococcus spp. strains in whole milk and orange juice using ultra high pressure homogenisation at inlet temperatures of 6 and 20 °C

The objective of this work was to evaluate the inactivation induced by ultra high pressure homogenisation (UHPH) of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 13565 and Staphylococcus carnosus CECT 4491 inoculated into milk and orange juice considering the effect of inlet temperature of the sample (6 and 20 °C) on the lethality values and on the production of sublethal injuries. Samples of UHT whole milk and UHT orange juice were inoculated at a concentration of approximately 7.0 log (CFU/ml) and pressurized with a dual valve UHPH machine at 300 MPa at the primary homogenising valve and at 30 MPa on the secondary valve. Viable and injured bacterial counts were measured 2 h after UHPH treatment and after 3, 6, and 9 days of storage at 4 °C for milk, and after 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 days of storage at 4 °C for orange juice. The inlet temperature, the food matrix and the kind of strain influenced significantly (P < 0.05) the lethality level, which was higher for S. aureus in whole milk at an inlet temperature of 20 °C. No sublethal injuries were detected after treatments. The change over time of viable counts for both strains showed a very strong decreasing tendency during the storage at 4 °C for orange juice, while the strain S. carnosus showed a low decreasing tendency and greater resistance when inoculated in milk and pressurized at 6 °C.     

Potential of berry extracts to control foodborne pathogens

Globally, foodborne diseases continues to be a serious public health problem. Among the infectious bacteria implicated in these diseases, non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica (NTS) serovars are the major cause of hospitalization and death, followed by Campylobacter, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes. In addition, the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistance strains among these bacteria is becoming a worldwide food safety issue. This rise of resistance led to the restriction of antibiotics use in animal productions in the European Union and application of a possible similar action in the North America. To limit the use of antibiotics in agricultures while satisfying the consumer demands, effective alternative approaches to maintain the animal health and productivity as well as to preserve food need to be explored. In this context, the plant-derived antibacterial compounds could provide novel approaches to control pathogenic bacteria in food industry. In this paper, we review the potential of three different berries (cranberries, blueberries and strawberries) extracts, as alternative antibacterial products against foodborne pathogens. These extracts show various antimicrobial activities against Gram positive (Listeria, Staphylococcus aureus, and Clostridium perfringens) and Gram negative (Salmonella enterica, E. coli and Campylobacter spp.) bacteria. Berry extracts seem to have a pleotropic mode of actions against foodborne bacteria. Several studies on proanthocyanidins from cranberry demonstrated its bactericidal action through anti-adhesion activities and free iron sequestration. Blueberry phenolics were reported to decrease cell auto-aggregation, motility and affect the cellular hydrophobicity. Similar action was observed with strawberry extracts due to their immobilizing capacity. Key research gaps include the effects of processing, bioavailability and detail mechanisms of action of berry compounds.     

Inactivation behaviors of foodborne microorganisms in multi-frequency power ultrasound-treated orange juice

This study established the inactivation kinetic parameters of some pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serotypes, and Listeria monocytogenes; and spoilage yeasts namely, Debaryomyces hansenii, Clavispora lusitaniae, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Pichia fermentans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in orange juice subjected to multi-frequency Dynashock power ultrasound treatment. All test organisms exhibited a biphasic inactivation behavior with a sigmoidal inactivation curve consisted of an initial inactivation lag, followed by logarithmic linear inactivation. Injury accumulation in the inactivation lag phase was established in acid-adapted bacteria. The time necessary to reduce initial inoculated populations by 5 log cycles (99.999%), T_5D values, significantly increased with acid adaptation. The T_5D of E. coli, S. enterica, and L. monocytogenes increased from 37.64, 36.87, and 34.59 respectively; to 54.72, 40.38, and 37.83 min respectively after acid exposure. Temperature increase due to sensible heat propagation during ultrasound treatment decreased the resistance of the test bacteria. The cocktail of E. coli O157:H7 had significantly greater resistance towards ultrasound treatment (T_5D = 54.72 min) than any of the individual strain (T_5D = 41.48–47.48 min) in the mix. Similar results were found in the composited (T_5D = 60.02 min) and individual species (T_5D = 20.31–59.04 min). The results established in this work provide baseline information on microbial behavior in multi-frequency ultrasound-treated orange juice for establishment of pasteurization process schedules.     

Prevalence of foodborne pathogens in open markets and supermarkets in Thailand

This study was conducted in Thailand (Bangkok and Pathum Thani provinces), from June 2006 to July 2007, in order to assess the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in foods. Retail raw meats and seafood, including chicken (n = 109), pork (n = 80), beef (n = 108), shrimp (n = 43) and oysters (n = 48), from open markets and supermarkets were analyzed. Salmonella was found in 22 of 61 (36%) open market samples (48% of chicken, none of pork and beef, and 53% of shrimp) and in 12 of 75 (16%) samples from supermarkets (57%, 12%, 24%, 0% respectively). However, a small number of L. monocytogenes were isolated, where 6 of 217 (3%) were samples from open markets (6% of chicken and 3% of pork) and 17 of 171 (10%) were from supermarkets (3% of beef, 4% of chicken, and 32% of pork). In both markets, L. monocytogenes was not detected from shrimps, neither from oysters. E. coli O157, Shigella and tdh-positive V. parahaemolyticus were not isolated in this collection. Several Salmonella and L. monocytogenes isolates were multidrug-resistant. Both markets would need better assessment, since multidrug-resistant strains have been isolated and they may lead to therapeutic failure.     

Review of the sensitivity of different foodborne pathogens to fermentation

The characteristics of lactic acid bacterial fermentation and the principal antimicrobial factors produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are reviewed and assessed. The principal anti-microbial factor identified is the ability of all LAB to produce organic acids and decrease the pH of foods in which they grow. Other factors such as the production of bacteriocins, hydrogen peroxide and ethanol may all play a contributory role in assuring the safety of fermented foods but their contribution is secondary. The efect of fermentation on non-bacterial pathogens is discussed. A tabulation is made of results from a number of published studies of the effects of fermentation on the fate of different bacterial pathogens in a vareity of food materials.     

Prevalence of foodborne pathogens in Turkish Van otlu (Herb) cheese

The survey was conducted on 50 unripened Van otlu cheese samples obtained in Van and Hakkari markets at retail level to determine the microbial characteristics with special emphasis on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. The results revealed that S. aureus and E. coli were present in extremely high numbers, with a mean 6.10 and 3.68 log CFU/g, respectively. S. aureus was found in all samples ranging from 2.48 to 7.15 log CFU/g and was present in more than 5.0 × 10⁵ CFU/g in 54% of the samples whereas E. coli was found in 62% of the samples. None of the samples contained E. coli O157:H7; but 3 of the 50 samples had Salmonella spp. The results indicate that Van otlu cheese presents a potential hazard for public health; and the necessary precaution will have to be taken to improve the sanitary practices and cheese manufacturing technique.     

Aflatoxin M1 in raw milk in Croatia

In this study the levels of aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁) of 61 milk samples delivered from small milking farms were determined in January, February, March and April (winter–spring season), and June, July and September (summer–autumn season) of 2009. The AFM₁ concentration was determined by competitive enzyme-immunoassay method. The maximum mean concentrations of AFM₁ recorded in winter–spring season were in the range of 35.8–58.6 ng/l and in summer–autumn season in the range of 11.6–14.9 ng/l. The AFM₁ levels determined in January, February, March and April were significantly higher in accordance with concentration of AFM₁ in June, July and September (P < 0.05 to P < 0.0001, respectively). Also, there was significant difference (P < 0.0001) between the mean concentrations of AFM₁ in samples taken all together in winter–spring and summer–autumn season. Only in one sample delivered in February the level of AFM₁ was higher than the maximum tolerance limit (50 ng/l). Therefore, it was concluded that in 98.4% of milk samples in Croatia the levels of AFM₁ were below maximum tolerance level accepted by the European Union.     

Effect of organic acids on the photodynamic inactivation of selected foodborne pathogens using 461 nm LEDs

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are known to inactivate foodborne pathogens. However, the effect of food acidulants on the antibacterial effect of LEDs is unknown. In this study, the influence of organic acids on the photodynamic inactivation of four foodborne pathogens (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus) by blue LEDs was investigated. Each pathogen was illuminated by 10-W 461 nm LEDs (22.1 mW/cm²) at 15 °C for 7.5 h in tryptone soya broth of pH 4.5 adjusted with citric, lactic or malic acids. The total energy dosage imparted by the LEDs over the course of the illumination was 596.7 J/cm². Our results showed that at the same pH, the nature of the acids significantly influenced the bacterial inactivation due to the LEDs, irrespective of the bacterial strain. Lactic acid was found to be the most effective in aiding the photodynamic inactivation of the pathogens, followed by citric and malic acids. The reparameterized Gompertz equation was fitted to the inactivation curves to determine the lag phase duration (λ) and the maximum inactivation rate (μ_max) under each condition. The λ values for E. coli O157:H7, S. Typhimurium, L. monocytogenes and S. aureus with lactic acid were 3.68, 3.29, 2.25 and 2.27 h, respectively. The corresponding μ_max values were 1.46, 1.31, 1.07 and 1.21 log CFU/h. The combination of organic acids and LEDs also caused significant sublethal injury to the bacterial cultures with trends similar to those of the inactivation tests. This study showed that food acidulants greatly enhanced the antibacterial effect of LEDs, suggesting the potential of LEDs in preserving acidic foods.     

Efficacy of lactic acid in reducing foodborne pathogens in minimally processed lotus sprouts

Fresh lotus sprout is easily browned and perishable due to microbial growth and degradation. Therefore, browning and foodborne pathogen have become the most serious problems. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of lactic acid (0.25%, 0.5%, 1% and 2% (v/v)) on reduction of foodborne pathogens, such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes, in lotus sprouts. Tap water and sodium hypochlorite (200 mg/l) were used as control treatments. Results indicated that tap water caused a slight reduction (<0.5 log) in the microbial loads. The sodium hypochlorite treatment led to 1.3 log reductions of the microbial population. When treated with 0.5% and 2.0% lactic acid solutions, 1.5 and 2.3 log reductions were achieved, respectively. The effectiveness of lactic acid treatment increased with the increase of lactic acid concentration. Results showed that the lactic acid treatment at 0.5% or higher was effective to reduce foodborne pathogens in lotus sprouts. The L* values of samples treated with lactic acid decreased slightly during storage. Furthermore, the lactic acid treatment contributed to slow accumulation of red color on lotus sprouts, which was more effective than sodium hypochlorite treatment to reduce the discoloration of lotus sprouts. These results indicated that lactic acid can be used to improve the color and safety of minimally processed lotus sprouts.     

Attachment of foodborne pathogens to banana (Musa sp.) leaves

Fresh produce, and in particular minimally processed leafy green vegetables, have been recognized as a source of transmission for foodborne pathogens of animal origin. In South-East Asian and other cultures the leaves of the banana plant (Musa sp.) are widely used as food wrappings or as serving plates because of their waxy surfaces and represent a largely uninvestigated leafy green product. This study was undertaken to quantify the attachment of two strains of each of the three bacterial foodborne pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli to the top side and underside of banana leaf surfaces. All bacteria tested attached to banana leaves at levels in the range of 3.5–4.5 cfu/cm². Differences in attachment to leaves between strains were apparent. Most notably both Salmonella strains attached to the top side of leaf surfaces in significantly (p < 0.05) lower numbers than two (one E. coli and one S. aureus) of the other four strains. Furthermore, the two S. aureus strains attached to the undersides of leaves in significantly (p < 0.05) lower numbers than to the top side of leaves. Despite the waxy nature of the banana leaf surfaces the bacteria tested were capable of attaching to them in numbers equivalent to the attachment of bacterial pathogens to other leafy green produce.     

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on the inactivation of norovirus and quality of cabbage Kimchi

In Korea, cabbage Kimchi is potentially regarded as a high-risk food with respect to enteric norovirus (NoV). This study investigated the effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HPP) treatment (100–500 MPa for 5 min at room temperature) on the inactivation of murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1, initial inoculum of 5–6 log₁₀ PFU/ml) as a human NoV surrogate in the Kimchi. The effects of HHP treatment on the microbiological, physicochemical properties and sensory qualities of cabbage Kimchi were also examined. The MNV-1 in the Kimchi after 100, 200, 300, and 400 MPa were 5.6 (0.1 log reduction), 5.5 (0.2 log reduction), 5.4 (0.3 log reduction), and 4.2 (1.5 log₁₀ PFU/ml), respectively. Complete inactivation of MNV-1 was determined in the cabbage Kimchi by 500 MPa. One-log reduction of total aerobic bacteria and lactic acid bacteria was only determined in the 500 MPa HHP treated Kimchi. The pH values and acidity (%) in all HPP treated Kimchi were 4.4–5.7 and 0.4–0.7%, respectively. The Hunter colors ‘a’ (redness) and ‘b’ (yellowness) and mechanical texture (hardness) in HHP Kimchi were not different between 0 MPa and HHP (100–500 MPa) treated Kimchi significantly (P > 0.05) different although the HHP treated Kimchi turned to very slight darkness. All sensory scores in HHP treated Kimchi were determined as > 5 point (like) in 7 point-hedonic scale. The current study suggest that 500 MPa for 5 min could potentially be used for direct application in commercial Kimchi processing and distribution for complete MNV-1 inactivation without causing any deleterious overall quality changes.