INFLUENCE OF MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING ON GROWTH OF CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS IN COOKED TURKEY |
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| Authors: | VIJAY K JUNEJA BENNE S MARMER JEFFREY E CALL |
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| Affiliation: | Microbial Food Safety Research Unit USDA/ARS, Eastern Regional Research Center 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 |
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| Abstract: | Clostridium perfringens containing samples of sterile ground turkey were studied to assess growth under modified atmosphere conditions. Samples were packaged under various atmospheres (CO2/O2/N2: 75/5/20, 75/10/15, 75/20/5, 25/20/55, 50/20/30), stored at 4, 15 and 28C, and sampled periodically for growth. Diluted samples were plated on Shahidi Ferguson perfringens agar (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, MI) to determine vegetative cell counts. Temperature abuse (cyclic and static) of the turkey product was also investigated. The results showed that the growth of C. perfringens was slowest under 25–50% CO2/20% O2/balance N2 at 15 and 28C. There was no growth at 4C for up to 28 days. Temperature abuse (28C storage) of refrigerated products for 8 h did not permit C. perfringens growth. Use of 25–50% CO2/20% O2/balance N2 may extend the shelf-life of turkey, but in the absence of proper refrigeration, it cannot be relied upon to eliminate the risk of C. perfringens food poisoning . |
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