Fate of Salmonella and Enterococcus faecium during Pilot-Scale Spray Drying of Soy Protein Isolate.

Abstract: Outbreaks and recalls associated with microbial contamination of powdered foods have raised concern for the safety of the spray-drying process and its products. However, little research on the fate of bacteria during the spray-drying process has been done, leaving much unknown about the risks of contamination in spray dryers. Therefore, quantifying the contamination levels of Salmonella and Enterococcus faecium (as a surrogate) in various locations within a pilot-scale spray dryer can help illustrate the distribution of bacterial contamination, including in the final product.

Effect of Food Structure, Water Activity, and Long-Term Storage on X-Ray Irradiation for Inactivating Enteritidis PT30 in Low-Moisture Foods.

Recent outbreaks and recalls of low-moisture foods contaminated with have been recognized as a major public health risk that demands the development of new mitigation strategies and technologies. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of X-ray irradiation for inactivating on or in almonds (kernels, meal, butter), dates (whole fruit, paste), and wheat (kernels, flour) at various water activities (a) and storage periods. The raw materials were inoculated with Enteritidis PT30, conditioned to 0.