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Title: REDUCTION OF NATURAL SPOILAGE MICROORGANISMS FOUND IN FRESH BEEF USING HYDRODYNAMIC PRESSURE PROCESSING

Author
item Williams Campbell, Anisha
item Solomon, Morse

Submitted to: Journal of Food Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/10/2001
Publication Date: 3/7/2002
Citation: WILLIAMS CAMPBELL, A.M., SOLOMON, M.B. REDUCTION OF NATURAL SPOILAGE MICROORGANISMS FOUND IN FRESH BEEF USING HYDRODYNAMIC PRESSURE PROCESSING. JOURNAL OF FOOD PROTECTION. 2002. v. 65. p. 571-574.

Interpretive Summary: The food industry is searching for new non-thermal technologies to reduce microbial contamination in meat products. An advantage of using a non- thermal treatment to reduce microbial contamination is that it can be used on foods after packaging and this would eliminate any possible recontamination of the product. Hydrodynamic pressure processing (HDP) is a anewly emerging non-thermal technology developed at the Food Technology and Safety Laboratory to tenderize meat. Studies have shown that HDP treatment disrupts the microstructure of meat to cause tenderization. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of HDP on natural spoilage microorganisms found in fresh ground beef and on beef stew pieces. Results showed that HDP was capable of reducing (1.5-3 log10 CFU/g) surface (stew pieces) and beneath the surface (ground beef) bacteria that cause spoilage in fresh meats. HDP was also effective in extending the shelf life of ground beef compared to untreated meat (4.5 log10 CFU/g vs. 9 log10 CFU/g) after 14 days of aerobic refrigerator storage. This research suggests that HDP could be used as an alternative preservation technique to extend the shelf life of meat products.

Technical Abstract: Hydrodynamic pressure processing(HDP) was investigated as an alternative technology to reduce spoilage microorganisms found in fresh beef. In two separate studies (Study I and II), retail store ground beef (GB) and beef roasts were purchased (Day 0). The roasts were divided into stew pieces. Meat samples (GB and stew pieces) including controls were stored (5 deg C) for 20 h. After storage, designated samples were treated with HDP. In Stud III, GB was treated with HDP (Day 0) and stored aerobically (5 deg C) for 14 days with controls. Each meat type was vacuum packaged for HDP (100 g binary explosive, steel shock wave container). pH and APC (log10 CFU/g) were measured (Day 0) for controls and HDP-treated samples (Study I and II) or on day 0, 7, or 14 (Study III). There was no pH difference between controls and HDP-treated meat types (Study I and II) HDP reduced bacteria in both meat types in Study I (2 log) and Study II (1.5 log) on Day 0. In Study III, there was a significant difference in pH between controls (8.2) and HDP-treated meat (5.6) after 14 days of storage. There was an immediate reduction (1.5 log) of microorganisms following HDP (Day 0) and a 4.5 log difference between controls (9 log) and HDP-treated samples (4.5) after 14 days of storage. These results show that it is possible to reduce spoilage microorganisms found in/on different meat types (GB vs. stew pieces) using HDP which could extend the shelf life of meat products.