Combined effect of pulsed light,edible coating and malic acid dipping to improve fresh-cut mango safety and quality

The impact of pulsed light (PL), alginate coating (ALC) and malic acid dipping (MA) treatments on quality and safety aspects of fresh-cut mango was studied. Fresh-cut mangoes were inoculated with L. innocua and then subjected to PL (20 pulses at fluence of 0.4 J·cm⁻²/pulse), ALC (2 %) or MA (2 %) treatments. Moreover, different combinations of PL, ALC and MA were assayed to evaluate possible synergisms among treatments. Microbial stability and quality parameters (colour, pH, soluble solids and firmness) of fresh-cut mango were examined throughout 14 days of storage at 4 °C.Results show that MA-PL and PL-ALC-MA treatments additively reduced L. innocua counts by 4.5 and 3.9 logs, respectively. Microbial population in fresh-cut mango remained below 6 log CFU/g over 14 days. Differences between firmness values of untreated and treated fresh-cut mangoes were evident throughout storage. Namely, firmness of alginate-coated slices sharply increased and progressively decreased over storage. Colour parameters and total soluble solids content decreased in all treated mango slices throughout 14 days, while pH was kept similar to that of the fresh tissue. An optimal combination of different treatments enables to ensure safety of fresh-cut mango with minimal quality deterioration throughout storage.     

Influence of processing parameters on the pulsed-light inactivation of Penicillium expansum in apple juice

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of pulsed light treatments on the inactivation of Penicillium expansum inoculated in apple juice. Different critical processing parameters, namely fluence (0.2 and 0.4 J/cm² per pulse), number of pulses (5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 flashes applied from opposite product sides), depth of the juice layer (6, 8, 10 mm) and inoculation level (2.3 × 10⁴ CFU/mL and 3 × 10⁵ CFU/mL) were studied regarding their effect on microbial inactivation. Moulds inactivation increased with increasing number of pulses and fluence. Treatments led to microbial reductions of up to 3.76 log CFU/mL. Inactivation levels achieved with treatments performed on thin layers of juice (6 mm) were substantially higher than those observed after applying the same treatments on deeper layers of 8 or 10 mm. As well, P. expansum inactivation in juice samples with lower initial counts was greater than in samples with higher counts. Minor changes were noticed after PL treatments regarding juice pH and soluble solids; however, apple juice colour slightly darkened after applying and overall fluence of 32 J/cm² (40 pulses of 0.4 J/cm² from both upper and bottom sides). The obtained results suggest that PL-technology can be applied to efficiently reduce P. expansum counts in apple juice while maintaining the product quality.     

Effective control of Listeria innocua by combination of nisin,pH and low temperature in liquid cheese whey

The effect and interactions of pH (5.5, 6.0 and 6.5), temperature (7 °C and 20 °C) and nisin (100  IU/ml; 300 IU/ml), on the growth and survival of Listeria innocua in liquid cheese whey (LCW) were studied.Growth data were analyzed by non-linear regression analysis to generate “best fit” Gompertz and logistic models. The growth kinetics of L. innocua was dependent on the interaction of the three variables, particularly on the lag phase duration.The effectiveness of nisin in controlling the growth of L. innocua in LCW was more pronounced at 7 °C than at 20 °C and as the pH decreased from 6.5 to 5.5. As a consequence, this combined treatment may provide LCW with a degree of protection against this microorganism, particularly if employed in conjunction with low temperature.     

Comparison of bacterial inactivation with novel agitating retort and static retort after mild heat treatments

Lower thermal load on foods is desirable for food producers and consumers as the food gets higher quality. With reduced thermal load, the investigation of food safety is of importance. In this study, microbial inactivation efficacy of a new retort process with high frequency longitudinal agitation was compared to static retort process which was used as a benchmark. As a model, fish soup samples, inoculated with approximately 10⁸ cells/ml Listeria innocua, was exposed to mild heat treatments at 62, 65 and 68 °C. Results clearly demonstrated that agitating mode can provide equivalent lethality to the model organism L. innocua within significantly shorter heating times compared to static mode. Bacteria were not detected on TSA-YE plates after 11.5, 6.8 and 5.5 min processing in agitating mode; 77, 67 and 52 min processing in static mode at 62, 65 and 68 °C respectively. Bacterial inactivation in agitating mode was generally correlated with estimated inactivation based on product core temperature, D- and z-values for L. innocua. This may indicate that distribution of the heat load over the soup was enhanced through agitation. Results showed that utilization of high frequency longitudinal agitation mechanism in retorts is promising for reducing the thermal load on food products without compromising on food safety related to non-spore forming pathogens.     

Thermal inactivation and growth potential of Listeria innocua in rehydrated salt-cured cod prepared for ready-to-eat products

The aim of this work was to study thermal inactivation at 55 and 60 °C and growth potential at 4 and 8 °C of Listeria innocua in rehydrated salt-cured cod prepared for ready-to-eat (RTE) products. The results demonstrated that both level of salt stress and matrix i.e. rehydrated or fresh cod muscle, did affect the thermal inactivation of L. innocua towards non-linearity with an upward concavity. During subsequent storage of the heat treated samples, the lag time of the strain was 9–10 days regardless of salt stress level or matrix. In the raw products (controls), however, the lag time varied. The results indicate that detailed knowledge about the sequences of salt stress before heat treatment is of limited importance for the growth potential of L. innocua in heat treated RTE products.     

Heat inactivation of Listeria innocua in broth and food products under non-isothermal conditions

The objective of this work was to study the effect of three linear temperature profiles (heating rates of 1.5, 1.8 and 2.6 °C/min, from 20 to 65 °C) on Listeria innocua inactivation in liquid medium. The inactivation was also analyzed in artificially contaminated parsley (heating rate of 1.8 °C/min) and throughout a frying process, using a pre-cooked frozen food as case study. Inactivation showed a sigmoidal behaviour and all data was fitted with a Gompertz-inspired model. Results demonstrated that, in liquid media, Listeria inactivation is influenced by the temperature profile used. As heating rate increases, the shoulder decreases and the tail effect disappears. If Listeria was in parsley, its heat resistance increased (for identical experimental conditions in broth). Besides model adequacy was proven in all studied situations, the heating rate affected parameters’ precision.     

Influence of Listeria innocua on the attachment of Listeria monocytogenes to stainless steel and aluminum surfaces

Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen that may be transmitted from the food-processing environment to food; however, the ecology and interaction of this organism with microbial residents on surfaces within the food industry is not well understood. The current study was undertaken to investigate the influence of Listeria innocua on the growth and attachment of L. monocytogenes to stainless steel or aluminum surfaces at 23 °C. When grown in broth as a mixed culture, L. innocua reached a higher cell count at 24 h than did L. monocytogenes. Attachment was evaluated by placing an aliquot containing 10³ CFU/ml of L. innocua and 10³ CFU/ml of L. monocytogenes on the coupons and by quantifying attached cells after 24 and 72 h. Attachment of L. monocytogenes was decreased by the presence of L. innocua. When compared to L. monocytogenes alone, there was a significant reduction of attachment of L. monocytogenes at 24 and 72 h on stainless steel and 72 h on aluminum surface when L. innocua was added at the same time. L. innocua exhibited an effect on the attachment of L. monocytogenes, increasing our knowledge of the behavior of L. monocytogenes in the presence of another Listeria species.     

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.     

On the behavior of Listeria innocua and Lactobacillus acidophilus co-inoculated in a dairy dessert and the potential impacts on food safety and product's functionality

This study aimed to evaluate the behavior of Listeria innocua in a dairy dessert in the presence/absence of a probiotic microorganism and to assess the in vitro functionality of the probiotic dairy dessert. Three formulations of dairy dessert were prepared: F₁ – inoculated with Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5, F₂ – inoculated with L. innocua and F₃ – inoculated with both L. innocua and L. acidophilus La-5. The dairy desserts were stored at 5 °C/28 days, following measurement of the pH and enumeration of L. innocua and L. acidophilus La-5 on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28. The results showed that the pH of the formulation inoculated with L. acidophilus La-5 (F₁) has decreased to 5.6 at the end of the shelf life, while in F₂ (inoculated with L. innocua only) and F₃ (inoculated with L. innocua and L. acidophilus La-5) the pH increased. The counts of L. acidophilus La-5 decreased in F₁ throughout the shelf life, while in F₂ and in F₃, the populations of L. innocua increased, reaching up to 10^8–9 CFU/g at the end of shelf life. The functionality tests indicated that the percentage of survivors decreased (p < 0.05) from 89.3% to 58.8% in F₁ during storage shelf life, while an increase in the percentage of survival of L. acidophilus La-5 (94.0–99.1%, p < 0.05) was observed in F₃. The results of the present study highlight the needs to strictly ensure the microbiological safety of raw materials, control the pasteurization temperature and to guarantee that surfaces and environments are adequately cleaned and sanitized to avoid contamination by Listeria spp., and particularly, by Listeria monocytogenes. Further studies should be carried out to understand the interaction between L. innocua and L. acidophilus La-5.     

Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua in yogurt drink applying combination of high pressure processing and mint essential oils

Influences of high pressure processing (HPP) on some physical properties and on inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua in a yogurt drink (ayran) were quantified with or without addition of mint essential oil. Pressure treatment alone or combined with mint essential oil did not cause significant changes in pH, water activity, color and serum protein separation (p > 0.05). HPP of ayran samples at 600 MPa for treatment time of 300 s reduced L. monocytogenes and L. innocua by more than 5-log units (p ≤ 0.05) at ambient temperature. Addition of mint essential oil further enhanced inactivation of both bacteria by more than 1 log cfu mL^?1. Combination of mint essential oil with HPP provided a reduction in pressure treatment severity by 100–300 MPa or by 210 s to achieve the same amount of inactivation relative to HPP alone. Both Weibull distribution and log-logistic models were fitted to survival data. High pressure-processing combined with mint essential oil appeared to be a promising technique for preserving microbiologically-safe ayran with no significant impacts to product quality.     

Growth control of Listeria innocua 2030c during processing and storage of cold-smoked salmon-trout by Carnobacterium divergens V41 culture and supernatant

The objectives of this study were to ascertain the efficacies of Carnobacterium divergens V41 and its supernatant V41 as treatments to control Listeria innocua 2030c during salmon-trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cold-smoking processes by treating the raw fish fillets. Fillets were dip-inoculated with 2% (v/v) culture of L. innocua 2030c and/or 2% (v/v) culture of C. divergens V41 culture and 2% or 5% (v/v) of culture supernatant V41. Fillets were dry-salted for 6 h and an average salt content of 5.3% (water phase salt) was obtained. Salted fillets were cold-smoked for 5 h (3 h of drying + 2 h of smoking) and stored at 5 °C for 3 weeks in vacuum packs. The % of salt in the water phase was determined for all fillets. Sensorial analyses were performed in order to compare treated/untreated cold-smoked salmon-trout fillets to ascertain potential spoilage odours due to the treatments.All the treatments with C. divergens V41 or supernatant showed a significant inhibitory effect on L. innocua 2030c growth, but the 5% (v/v) C. divergens supernatant treatment, was by far the most effective against this species. No significant off-odours were found in the products with respect to the tested treatments.     

Effectiveness of combined Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) and Manothermosonication (MTS) for the control of Listeria innocua in a smoothie type beverage

The combination of novel, non-thermal technologies for preservation purposes is a recent trend in food processing research. The objectives of the current study were (i) to optimise PEF or MTS treatment conditions which would achieve a maximum reduction of up to 3 log cycles of Listeria innocua in a milk based smoothie, when these technologies were applied individually, and (ii) to investigate possible additive or synergistic effects of the combined technologies. Microbiological analysis was performed by inoculating the smoothie with L. innocua and enumerating populations pre- and post-processing. All technologies applied within combinations significantly reduced L. innocua in the smoothie, when compared to untreated controls (p ≤ 0.0001). The sequence in which the MTS and PEF were applied was found to have a significant impact on the level of microbial reduction achieved (p ≤ 0.05). The sequence of MTS followed by PEF was the most effective in inactivating L. innocua achieving a mean reduction of 5.6 log cfu/ml, thereby exceeding the 5 log cycles minimum requirement specified by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA). Significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower reductions of 4.2 log cfu/ml were achieved when the PEF + MTS sequence combination was applied. The combination of MTS + PEF achieved inactivation comparable to thermally treated samples (p > 0.05). This study has shown the combination MTS + PEF is a promising hurdle preservation approach to control undesirable microorganisms in milk based smoothie beverages.     

Inactivation by ozone of Listeria innocua on salmon-trout during cold-smoke processing

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of gaseous ozone exposure on Listeria innocua 2030c growth during cold-smoke processing of Oncorhynchus mykiss (salmon-trout). Three sets of experiments were performed: inoculation with L. innocua 2030c followed by a 20 min ozone exposure were applied to (a) fresh salmon-trout after filleting, (b) to fresh whole fish, and (c) to fresh whole fish after removal of the fish slime. In sets (a) and (b) fillets were subsequently cold-smoked but not in set (c). The ozone concentration inside the exposure chamber after 20 min reached 0.1 × 10⁻³ g/l.Counts of L. innocua 2030c were performed after treatment for sets (a), (b) and (c), after smoking and weekly during 21 days in vacuum packs at 5 °C, for sets (a) and (b). Sampling for total Aerobic Plate Counts (APC) of non-inoculated samples was also performed in set (a). The percentage of salt in the water phase, peroxide values and the effect of treatment on sensory properties of cold-smoked salmon-trout fillets were also determined in the first and second set. In the first set, a decrease of less than 1 log₁₀ in L. innocua numbers occurred on ozone treated samples in all sampling occasions. APC was slightly lower on fresh fillets after treatment and on smoked fillets at 3 weeks of storage at 5 °C (less than 1 log₁₀ CFU/g). In the second set, a reduction greater than 1 log₁₀ L. innocua/g occurred on smoked fillets at the end of the storage period. In the third set, the slime removal resulted in a 1 log₁₀ L. innocua/g reduction on fresh treated samples.Ozone treatment had no significant (p > 0.05) effect on L. innocua counts on samples compared to those on untreated fish. In both sets, no significant differences among ozone treated/untreated samples were noticeable by sensory evaluation (p > 0.05).     

Effects of pulsed light on the organoleptic properties and shelf-life extension of pork and salmon

The aim of our study was to assess the impacts of a pulsed light (PL) technology on the shelf-life, microbial inactivation, chemical and sensorial qualities of raw pork roast (RPR), roast pork (RP) and raw salmon (RS). In the first step, the effects of PL on aerobic flora and Pseudomonas fluorescens were investigated. Afterwards samples were evaluated in terms of their colour, shelf-life and lipid peroxidation. A maximum rate of microbial inactivation, 3.4 log (CFU/g), was found in the case of RP samples and was accompanied by improved shelf-life. Significant colour changes were found for the RP and RPR samples exposed to PL dose of 30 J cm⁻². The PL treatments at 3 and 10 J cm⁻² did not induce the lipid peroxidation. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content substantially increased in RS and RP samples submitted to 30 J cm⁻², i.e. by 39.3% and 25.5%, respectively. In conclusion, PL technology has a potential for inactivation of both, aerobic flora and P. fluorescens, however moderate fluencies has to be applied in order to obtain satisfying level of decontamination and high product quality.     

Inactivation of Listeria innocua in brined white cheese by a combination of nisin and heat

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of nisin alone and in combination with heat (63 °C/5 min) on the inactivation of Listeria innocua in white cheese. Nisin was added at different concentrations (500, 1000, and 1500 IU ml⁻¹) to pasteurized milk before curd formation. The curd was soaked for 24 h in 10% solution of brine containing ca 10⁶ CFU ml⁻¹ of a cocktail mixture of three strains of L. innocua. Part of the nisin treated samples were heat treated at 63 °C/5 min. Total mesophilic count (TMC), L. innocua survivors and changes in the pH of white cheese were monitored each 2 d for a period of 12 d of storage at 4 or 10 °C. Nisin at 500 IU ml⁻¹ did not diminish TMC in white cheese compared to the control. The combination of heat and nisin (1000 or 1500 IU ml⁻¹) exhibited a bacteriostatic effect on TMC throughout the storage period at 4 or 10 °C. Nisin at 500 IU ml⁻¹ had a marginal inhibitory activity against L. innocua. However, nisin at 1000 and 1500 IU ml⁻¹l resulted in a more than 2 log₁₀ reduction in L. innocua count and the effect was more prominent at 10 °C. In comparison, the combination of nisin (1000 or1500 IU ml⁻¹) and heat treatment exhibited a synergistic inhibitory activity against L. innocua, where a complete elimination of the organism was accrued after 6 and 8 d of storage at 10 and 4 °C. Therefore, nisin and heat combination could be used as a prudent hurdle to preclude the growth of Listeria in white cheese, especially under the condition of abused refrigeration conditions.     

Antimicrobial films and coatings for inactivation of Listeria innocua on ready-to-eat deli turkey meat

Edible antimicrobial coating solutions incorporating chitosan, lauric arginate ester (LAE) and nisin were developed to reduce foodborne pathogen contamination on ready-to-eat (RTE) meats. RTE deli meat samples were directly coated with the solutions, or treated with solution-coated polylactic acid (PLA) films. The antimicrobial efficacy of the coatings and films against Listeria innocua inoculated onto the surface of RTE meat samples was investigated. Antimicrobial coatings with 1.94 mg/cm² of chitosan and 0.388 mg/cm² of LAE reduced L. innocua by ca. 4.5 log CFU/cm². Nisin (486 IU/cm²) showed less effectiveness than LAE (0.388 mg/cm²) and addition of nisin to the antimicrobial coatings or films containing LAE (0.388 mg/cm²) did not enhance the total antimicrobial effectiveness. Combining antimicrobial coatings or films with flash pasteurization (FP), which uses short burst of steam under pressure, further reduced L. innocua, achieving over a 5 log reduction. There was no significant difference in the effectiveness of antimicrobial films versus the coatings (p > 0.05). These data show the potential use of antimicrobial packaging alone, or in combination with FP, in preventing foodborne illness due to post-processing contamination of RTE meat products.     

Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica serovar Senftenberg 775W inoculated into fruit juice by means of ultra high pressure homogenisation

The inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica serovar Senftenberg 775 W by ultra high pressure homogenisation (UHPH) was evaluated in grape and orange juices inoculated at a concentration of approximately 7 log CFU/ml. The fluid inlet temperature used was 6 °C and the pressure levels assayed were 200, 300 and 400 MPa. Viable and injured bacterial counts were obtained 2 h after the UHPH treatments and after 5, 8, and 15 days of storage at 4 °C. Pressure level had a significant impact on the lethal effect of UHPH and complete inactivation of S. enterica serovar Senftenberg 775 W was achieved at 400 MPa. L. monocytogenes showed more resistance than S. enterica serovar Senftenberg 775 W to the UHPH treatments and no significant differences were observed between 300 and 400 MPa treatments in both juices. Sublethal injuries were not detected in any case. During the storage at 4 °C viable counts of both strains showed a decreasing trend. L. monocytogenes viable counts became undetectable in UHPH treated and also in control samples of grape juice which could be attributed to the presence of natural compounds with antilisterial effect.     

Application of ozone sprays as a strategy to improve the microbial safety and quality of salmon fillets

Ozone research investigating the efficacy of spray application mechanisms for balancing microbial safety with chemical quality attributes of high lipid content fish is lacking. The objectives of this study were to investigate the influence of aqueous spray treatments of 1 mg/L and 1.5 mg/L ozone on the microbial and chemical quality indices of Atlantic salmon fillets inoculated with Listeria innocua as a surrogate species replacing the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. In order to simulate industry processing parameters, number of passes under spray nozzles (1, 2, and 3) was also investigated.Listeria counts resulting from treatment with three passes of 1 mg/L ozone sprays were significantly lower (p ≤ 0.05) than non-ozonated controls on days 0, 3, 6, and 10 of refrigerated storage at 4 °C. At both ozone concentrations, Listeria counts were significantly influenced (p ≤ 0.05) by the number of passes under spray nozzles with increasing passes resulting in increasing reductions. The residual antimicrobial effectiveness of ozone at both concentrations against aerobic bacterial populations on treated samples was limited to <6 days storage at 4 °C. Lipid oxidation analyses indicate that ozone concentration did not significantly affect (p ≤ 0.05) TBARS but did influence headspace propanal with 1 mg/L ozone treatments yielding approximately 30% higher propanal values than spray treatments of 1.5 mg/L ozone. Both TBARS and propanal levels were significantly influenced (p ≤ 0.05) by storage time, yet the number of spray passes did not significantly affect either measure of lipid oxidation. Our results indicate that ozone sprays at concentrations up to 1.5 mg/L are effective in reducing initial counts of aerobic bacterial populations and in significantly reducing (p ≤ 0.05) counts of L. innocua without causing significant increases in lipid oxidation levels in farmed Atlantic salmon fillets during refrigerated storage at 4 °C.     

Decontamination of a rotating cutting tool during operation by means of atmospheric pressure plasmas

The decontamination of a rotating cutting tool used for slicing in the meat industry by means of atmospheric pressure plasmas is investigated. The target is Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium which causes listeriosis and can be found in plants and food. The non-pathogenic species, Listeria innocua, is used for the experiments. A rotating knife was inoculated with L. innocua. The surface of the rotating knife was partly exposed to an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge operated in air, where the knife itself served as a ground electrode. The rotation of the knife ensures a treatment of the whole cutting tool. A log 5 reduction of L. innocua is obtained after 340 s of plasma operation. The temperature of the knife after treatment was found to be below 30 °C. The design of the setup allows a decontamination during slicing operation.     

Growth kinetics of Listeria innocua and Listeria monocytogenes under exposure to carvacrol and the occurrence of sublethal damage

The aim of this work was to compare the growth kinetics of Listeria innocua and Listeria monocytogenes serovar 4b exposed to carvacrol, considering two initial inoculum sizes, and the occurrence of sublethal damage in these cell populations, by plating them in selective and non-selective medium. Bacteria were grown in TSB supplemented with carvacrol: 0.0 μL/mL (control), 0.100 μL/mL and 0.175 μL/mL. The increase in carvacrol concentration resulted in an extended lag phase and lower maximum growth rate in comparison with the untreated cells (p ≤ 0.05). In the presence of carvacrol, the lower inoculum size showed an increased growth rate and relatively longer lag phase compared to the higher inoculum size (p ≤ 0.05). The cells of L. innocua and L. monocytogenes had a greater extension of lag time, slower growth rate and higher percentage of injured cells when treated with carvacrol (p ≤ 0.05). Results also indicated that L. monocytogenes grows faster than L. innocua when treated with carvacrol, this scenery could compromise the use of L. innocua as a surrogate for L. monocytogenes serovar 4b for this antimicrobial substance. Finally, it was shown that good growth control of Listeria was achieved with 0.175 μL/mL of carvacrol.