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Title: EFFECT OF OZONE STRESS ON CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS VIABILITY FOLLOWING THE AQUEOUS TREATMENT OF BEEF SURFACES

Author
item Novak, John

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/7/2002
Publication Date: 9/12/2002
Citation: NOVAK, J.S. EFFECT OF OZONE STRESS ON CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS VIABILITY FOLLOWING THE AQUEOUS TREATMENT OF BEEF SURFACES. MEETING ABSTRACT. 2002.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The antimicrobial efficacy of ozone on the food-borne pathogen, Clostridium perfringens, was evaluated on London Broil top round cut beef surfaces using an aqueous wash system. Current food processing methods do not assure elimination of spores of C. perfringens, thus there is a high likelihood of pathogen survival following ozone exposure. Log reductions in CFU/g for C. perfringens 3-strain cocktails inoculated onto beef were 1.28 and 1.51 for 5 min washes with 3 and 5 ppm aqueous ozone, respectively. Following a 3 ppm aqueous ozone treatment of beef for 5 min, the surviving C. perfringens cells exhibited reduced viability at 60 C (D-value of 7.64 min) compared to non-ozone-treated cells washed from the beef surface (D-value of 13.84 min). Cells surviving ozone treatment were not more resistant to the effects of pH in the range of 5.0 to 12.0. Increasing log CFU/g reductions in C. perfringens were observed for ozone treatments in combination with increasing NaCl concentrations from 0 to 6.0%. A combination of 5 ppm ozonated-water for 5 min followed by 55 C for 30 min resulted in a synergistic effect and the greatest log CFU/g reduction of C. perfringens cells on the meat (2.89). Mild heat treatment alone (55 C for 30 min) resulted in a log reduction of only 1.09 CFU/g, and C. perfringens cells surviving mild heat treatment exhibited significantly elevated heat resistance at 60 C (D-value of 17.76 min). In summary, C. perfringens cells surviving ozone treatment of beef did not exhibit increased potential for cross protection against heat, pH, or osmotic stress. Therefore, ozone treatment of beef in combination with mild heat has significant potential in reducing the viability of C. perfringens on meat.