Fate of Listeria monocytogenes and Aeromonas hydrophila on Catfish Fillets Cooked in a Microwave Oven

Channel catfish fillets were inoculated with SJ lo⁶ cell/cm² each of Listeria monocytogenes and Aeromonas hydrophila and cooked in a microwave oven to internal temperatures of 55, 60, and 70°C. The fillets were either left uncovered or covered with polyvinylidene chloride films during cooking. A. hydrophila populations were reduced to nondetectable levels on covered fillets cooked to 70 °C. At 60 °C, L. monocyrogenes populatoins were reduced by = 4 logs for covered and by 2 logs for uncovered fillets. Covering fillets increased lethality at each temperature; however, some pathogens could survive at < 60 °C.