Empirical model building based on Weibull distribution to describe the joint effect of pH and temperature on the thermal resistance of Bacillus cereus in vegetable substrate

A total of 296 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from spoiled, vacuum-packaged 'gravad' rainbow trout stored at 3 and 8 degrees C were characterised and identified using a molecular approach. The isolates were initially grouped according to their HindIII restriction endonuclease profiles and further identified to species level using an rRNA gene restriction pattern (ribotype) identification database. Lactobacillus sakei, L. curvatus and Carnobacterium piscicola were the three main species detected. Only one isolate was identified as C. divergens. Most of the carnobacteria were found in the samples stored at 3 degrees C. The relative proportion of L. sakei was higher in the samples stored at 8 degrees C.     

Copper(II) Extraction from Phosphoric Acid Media by 5‐Dodecylsalicylaldoxime (LIX 622)

Abstract

The extraction of Cu(II) from phosphoric acid media (0.4–7.3 M) by the commercial reagent LIX 622 in toluene has been studied. Experimental results have been treated numerically and the formation in the organic phase of the complex CuR₂, HR being 5‐dodecylsalicylaldoxime, has been proposed. Values of the conditional extraction constants, which increase with the phosphoric acid concentration, are given. Organic extracts have been analyzed by EPR spectroscopy. The presence of a square planar complex of Cu(II) has been deduced confirming the stoichiometry CuR₂.     

A time temperature integrator for particulated foods: thermal process evaluation

 A time temperature integrator (TTI) was developed by immobilizing Bacillus stearothermophilus spores in a cylindrical particle consisting of an alginate-starch-mushroom purée. The particle showed homogeneous spore distribution, and when heated over a temperature range of 121 – 130° C negligible spore leakage was observed after the thermal process. The experimental data on spore survivor levels obtained for each temperature-time combination were compared with theoretical predictions using a mathematical model. The results showed a good correlation between the experimental and theoretical data. All these results provide evidence that this artificial particle could be a very reliable TTI for monitoring the thermal impact on micro-organisms during validating sterilization processes in continuous aseptic systems. Received: 25 February 1997     

Development of a restructured alginate food particle suitable for high temperature-short time process validation

Cylindrical particles of alginate and alginate/starch food purée were developed for use as carriers in a microbiological time temperature integrator (TTI). The mechanical properties of the restructured food particle, stress (σ_f) and strain at failure (ε_f), were studied as a function of different composition parameters (alginate and food concentration, pH, type offood added, and addition of starch). Addition of food purée produced gels that were weaker than purée alginate ones, although no differences in mechanical properties were obtained among the three levels of food purée concentration studied in this work. However, the type of food significantly affected these rheological parameters, producing the weakest gel when artichoke purée was added to the alginate. The pH also affected the mechanical properties: the lower the pH, the weaker the particle. When starch was added, the particles developed could be frozen without losing their mechanical resistance and handling. The results indicated that particles containing 2% alginate and 4% starch showed the best mechanical stability.     

The effect of inoculum size on the lag phase of Listeria monocytogenes.

The effect of inoculum size on population lag times of Listeria monocytogenes was investigated using the Bioscreen automated microtitre plate incubator and reader. Under optimum conditions, lag times were little affected by inoculum size and there was little variation between replicate inocula even at very low cell numbers. However, in media containing inhibitory concentrations of NaCl, both the mean lag time and variation between replicate inocula increased as the inoculum size became smaller. The variation in lag time of cells within a population was investigated in more detail by measuring the distribution of detection times from 64 replicate inocula containing only one or two cells capable of initiating growth. The variance of the lag time distribution increased with increasing salt concentration and was greater in exponential than in stationary phase inocula. The number of cells required to initiate growth increased from one cell under optimum conditions to 10(5) cells in medium with 1.8 M NaCl. The addition of spent medium from a stationary phase culture reduced the variance and decreased lag times. The ability to initiate growth under severe salt stress appears to depend on the presence of a resistant sub-fraction of the population, although high cell densities assist adaptation of those resistant cells to the unfavourable growth conditions by some unspecified medium conditioning effect. These results are relevant to the prediction of lag times and probability of growth from low numbers of stressed cells in food.     

Apparent thermal resistance of Bacillus stearothermophilus spores recovered under anaerobic conditions

The effect of recovering Bacillus stearothermophilus spores under anaerobic conditions on their apparent thermal resistance was studied. Spores were suspended in bidistilled water as a reference medium, heated at 115, 117, 119, 121, 123 and 125°C and recovered under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. D values (decimal reduction time) obtained following recovery under anaerobic conditions were lower than those obtained under aerobic conditions. Reductions of between 31 and 48% were found for all the temperatures studied. When spores were suspended in mushroom extract and recovered under anaerobic conditions the apparent heat resistance was much lower than that obtained under aerobic conditions (D _121°C was 4.3 min and 1.7 min, under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively). Heating the spores in mushroom extract and recovering the spores under anaerobic conditions produced an additive effect, decreasing the apparent heat resistance of the B. stearothermophilus spores.     

Morphology,physical properties,silver release,and antimicrobial capacity of ionic silver‐loaded poly(l‐lactide) films of interest in food‐coating applications

In the present study, silver ions were incorporated into a poly‐(l ‐lactide) (PLA) matrix by a solvent casting technique using different solvents and glycerol as plasticizer. The effect of the different formulations on the morphology, thermal, mechanical and color properties were first evaluated. Additionally, a thorough study of the silver ions release to an aqueous environment was also monitored over time by anodic stripping voltammetry and correlated with the antimicrobial performance against S. enterica. The incorporation of silver contents of up to 1 wt % did not affect morphology, thermal or mechanical properties of the films. A sustainable, antibacterial effectiveness was found for the films in liquid medium and a breakpoint of 10–20 μg L^?1 silver was established under the stated conditions, evincing silver ion releasing technologies may be applied to liquid environments while complying with current legislation. This study provides insight into the structure properties relationship of these antibacterial polylactide materials of significant potential in coating applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 41001.     

A time temperature integrator for particulated foods: thermal process evaluation

A time temperature integrator (TTI) was developed by immobilizing Bacillus stearothermophilus spores in a cylindrical particle consisting of an alginate-starch-mushroom purée. The particle showed homogeneous spore distribution, and when heated over a temperature range of 121?–?130°?C negligible spore leakage was observed after the thermal process. The experimental data on spore survivor levels obtained for each temperature-time combination were compared with theoretical predictions using a mathematical model. The results showed a good correlation between the experimental and theoretical data. All these results provide evidence that this artificial particle could be a very reliable TTI for monitoring the thermal impact on micro-organisms during validating sterilization processes in continuous aseptic systems.