Author
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Annous, Bassam |
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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 10/25/2003 Publication Date: 10/28/2003 Citation: Annous, B.A. 2003. Development of biosafety level-2 commercial-scale processing facility at errc for food pathogen research. Bi-Annual Meeting of the Eastern Food Science Conference XIII. p. 23. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Food safety microbiological research to improve existing technology or to develop new technology for eliminating and/or controlling a particular foodborne pathogen in a target food system is often conducted under laboratory conditions. Such research findings must be validated under commercial-scale conditions. Because of safety concerns, non-pathogenic 'surrogate' microorganisms are used in situations where a target pathogen can not be used. In this paper, the development of a biosafety level-2 (BSL-2) commercial-scale processing facility at Eastern Regional Research Center (ERRC) for conducting research using food systems inoculated with foodborne pathogens will be discussed. Recent studies in the BSL-2 facility on surface pasteurization of cantaloupes, artificially inoculated with Salmonella Poona, indicated that the process data are more reliable utilizing the commercial-scale equipment as compared to the laboratory-scale water bath. This BSL-2 facility will be a valuable research tool in developing and evaluating commercial-scale technologies for decontamination of fresh and fresh-cut produce. |
