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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #222211
Title: Inactivation of Listeria innocua on the surfaces of frankfurters using UVC light and flash pasteurization

Author
item Sommers, Christopher
item Geveke, David
item PULSFUS, SETH - ALKAR-RAPIDPAK, INC.
item LEMMENES, BRYAN - ALKAR-RAPIDPAK, INC.

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/26/2008
Publication Date: 7/2/2008
Citation: Sommers, C., Geveke, D., Pulsfus, Seth, Lemmenes, Bryan, 2008. Inactivation of Listeria innocua on the surfaces of frankfurters using UVC light and flash pasteurization. [abstract]. Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting. p. 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is an occasional contaminant on the surfaces of ready-to-eat meat products such as frankfurters. Flash Steam Pasteurization (FP), Ultraviolet Light (UVC), and the GRAS antimicrobials Sodium Diacetate and Potassium Lactate (SD-PL) have all been used to inactivate L. monocytogenes on frankfurters, and control its proliferation during long-term refrigerated storage. In this study the combinatorial use (hurdle approach) of UVC, FP, and SD/PL were used to inactivate the L. monocytogenes surrogate L. innocua on the surface of frankfurters, in a pilot plant setting. UVC inactivated 1.47, 1.48, or 1.53 log of L. innocua at doses of 1, 2 or 4 J/cm2, respectively, on the surface of frankfurters that contained SD-PL. FP (121C steam) treatments of 0.75, 1.5, or 3.0s inactivated 1.99, 1.97, and 2.51 log of L. innocua, respectively, on the surface of the frankfurters. When the inoculated frankfurters were treated with UVC prior to application of FP 3.19 - 3.89 log of L. innocua were inactivated. Treatment of frankfurters with 1.0 J/cm2 UVC:1.5s FP or 2.0 J/cm2 UVC:3.0s FP inactivated 3.5 log of L. innocua on the surface of frankfurters that contained SD-PL, and inhibited the microorganism’s growth for 8 weeks refrigerated storage at a mild abuse temperature of 10C. Use of UVC, FP, or combinations thereof, did not negatively impact frankfurter color or texture. Combinatorial use of UVC, FP and SD-PL represent a simple and cost-effective process that can be used by manufacturers to inactivate and control Listeria spp. on the surface of frankfurters.