Bioprotection of Ready‐to‐eat Probiotic Artichokes Processed with Lactobacillus paracasei LMGP22043 against Foodborne Pathogens

The survival of 3 pathogens Listeria monocytogenes ATCC19115, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica ATCC13311, and Escherichia coli ATCC8739 was evaluated over time in ready‐to‐eat (RTE) artichoke products processed or not with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei LMGP22043. Both probiotic and standard products (final pH about 4.0; a_w = 0.98) dressed with oil and packaged in modified atmosphere were inoculated with pathogens at a level of about 3 log CFU/g and stored at 4 ºC for 45 d. Pathogens decreased in the probiotic product in 2 descent phases, without shoulder and/or tailing as observed by fitting the models available in the GInaFit software to the experimental data. S. enterica subsp. enterica was completely inactivated after 14 and 28 d in probiotic and standard products, respectively; E. coli was inhibited in the probiotic food at day 4 (count <detection limit (DL) 1 log CFU/g), while in the standard product, it survived until the end of experiment. L. monocytogenes decreased in the probiotic product at day 1 reaching values below the DL after 14 d, while 21 d were needed in the standard product, and survived in both samples until the end of the experimental period. Therefore, the probiotic strain, representing always more than the 93% of lactic acid bacteria (about 7 log CFU/g) during the entire experimental period, combines the efficacy of a protective culture, which can control the development of pathogens during storage with probiotic benefits.