Effects of steam and lactic acid treatments on inactivation of Listeria innocua surface-inoculated on chicken skins.

Effectiveness of combined steam (10 and 60 s, 70 degrees C and 98 degrees C) and chemical treatments, using concentrated solutions of lactic acid (1 and 30 min, 5% and 10% lactic acid), on the inactivation of Listeria innocua inoculated on the surface of chicken skins have been studied. Surviving bacteria on the skin were enumerated immediately after treatment, and after 7 days of storage at 4 degrees C. The most effective treatment was the combination of steam of 98 degrees C and 10% lactic acid with its immediate efficacy being mainly attributed to the applied heat treatment.