ARS | Publication request: DSC ANALYSIS OF FOODBORNE BACTERIA

Submitted to: North American Thermal Analysis Society Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: September 15, 2004
Publication Date: October 4, 2004
Citation: Tunick, M.H., Bayles, D.O., Novak, J.S. 2004. DSC Analysis of Foodborne Bacteria. NATAS 32nd Annual Conf. Proceedings. October 4-6, 2004. Williamsburg, VA. 2004 CDROM.

Technical Abstract: Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which is often used to measure the thermal profiles of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins in food, is also applicable to studying the thermal properties of bacteria. Foodborne pathogens are inactivated by heat, and denaturation transitions observed by DSC indicate potential sites of cellular injury. Ribosomes, which are the sites for messenger RNA translation, are one critical component of thermal damage as evidenced by characteristic denaturation transitions in the 66-74°C range. These transitions disappear when cells of Clostridium perfringens and Listeria monocytogenes are cold-shocked by refrigeration or subjected to heat. The data suggest that food processors could use refrigeration followed by heat treatment to improve the killing of dangerous microorganisms.