Evaluation of post-fermentation heating times and temperatures for controlling Shiga toxin-producing cells in a non-dried, pepperoni-type sausage.

Coarse ground meat was mixed with non-meat ingredients and starter culture () and then inoculated with an 8-strain cocktail of Shiga toxin-producing (ca. 7.0 log CFU/g).

Impact of cooking, cooling, and subsequent refrigeration on the growth or survival of Clostridium perfringens in cooked meat and poultry products.

In January 1999, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) finalized performance standards for the cooking and chilling of meat and poultry products in federally inspected establishments. More restrictive chilling (stabilization) requirements were adopted despite the lack of strong evidence of a public health risk posed by industry practices employing the original May 1988 guidelines (U.S.

Control of Listeria monocytogenes in the food-processing environment.

The purpose of this paper is to provide guidance to food processors in controlling Listeria monocytogenes in food-processing environments. Of particular concern are outbreaks of a few to several hundred scattered cases involving an unusually virulent strain that has become established in the food-processing environment and contaminates multiple lots of food over days or months of production. The risk is highest when growth occurs in a food before it is eaten by a susceptible population.

Absence of high-level vancomycin resistance in enterococci isolated from meat-processing facilities.

Enterococci isolated from packaging areas of meat-processing facilities that produce ready-to-eat meat products were examined for high-level vancomycin resistance. A total of 406 enterococci isolates from the plants' packaging areas were examined for vancomycin resistance. High-level vancomycin resistance was not demonstrated in any enterococci isolated from 12 meat-processing plants.

Psychrotrophic clostridia causing spoilage in cooked meat and poultry products.

Certain types of commercially produced noncured turkey breast and roast beef are precooked in situ, stored at 4 degrees C or below, and typically given use by dates of greater than 50 days. While of rare, sporadic occurrence, an unpleasant spoilage characterized by strong H2S odor and gas production has been observed in these products. This spoilage is due to the growth of psychrotrophic anaerobic sporeformers.

A comparison of Escherichia coli levels at four sampling sites on turkey carcasses.

The objective of this study was to investigate the levels of Escherichia coli on different sites of turkey carcasses by sponge sampling using a 50 cm2 template. The breast, thigh, back, and cavity sites were sampled to determine which sites would be suitable for quantifying E. coli levels for the purpose of assessing control of the slaughtering and chilling processes.

The Use of HACCP in the Production of Meat and Poultry Products .

Meat and poultry products frequently have been implicated in outbreaks of foodborne illness. The risk of foodborne illness can be reduced through implementation of the hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) concept. The basic principles of HACCP described by the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods are briefly reviewed.

Antibotulinal efficacy of sulfur dioxide in meat.

The addition of sodium metabisulfite as a source of sulfur dioxide delayed botulinal outgrowth in perishable canned comminuted pork when it was temperature abused at 27 degree C. The degree of inhibition was directly related to the level of sulfur dioxide. Levels greater than 100 microgram of sulfur dioxide per g were necessary to achieve significant inhibition when a target level of 100 botulinal spores per g was used.

Iron and the antibotulinal efficacy of nitrite.

Combination of nitrite, isoascorbate, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid were compared for their antibotulinal efficacy in perishable canned cured meat. A dose response relationship of available iron to the antibotulinal efficacy of nitrite was demonstrated.

Effect of Potassium Sorbate on Toxinogenesis by Clostridium botulinum in Bacon.

In an effort to reduce the initial levels of nitrite used to cure bacon and still supply the botulinal inhibition expected in cured meats, bacon was produced at nitrite levels of 0 and 40 ppm NaNO with and without 0.13 and 0.26% potassium sorbate.

Fate of Clostridium botulinum in Perishable Canned Cured Meat at Abuse Temperature.

Three experiments are described wherein perishable canned cured pork was prepared with 50 or 156 μg/g added sodium nitrite and 10 or 10 botulinal spores/g. Spore germination (i.e.

Causes of variation in botulinal inhibition in perishable canned cured meat.

Final internal processing temperatures within the range of 63 to 74 degrees C did not alter the degree of botulinal inhibition in inoculated perishable canned comminuted cured pork abused at 27 degrees C. Adding hemoglobin to the formulation reduced residual nitrite after processing and decreased botulinal inhibition. Different meats yielded different rates of botulinal outgrowth when substituted for fresh pork ham.

Effect of prior refrigeration on botulinal outgrowth in perishable canned cured meat when temperature abused.

Perishable canned cured meat inoculated with Clostridium botulinum spores was placed at 4.4 or 10 degrees C after manufacture. Spore germination occurred at 10 degrees C.

Enhancing nitrite inhibition of Clostridium botulinum with isoascorbate in perishable canned cured meat.

Addition of sodium isoascorbate to the formulation for perishable canned comminuted cured meat markedly enhanced the efficacy of nitrite against Clostridium botulinum. This effect was reproducible through a series of three tests. In one test it was found that the initial addition of 50 microgram of sodium nitrite per g plus isoascorbate was as effective as 156 microgram of sodium nitrite per g alone.

Effect of potassium sorbate on salmonellae, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, and Clostridium botulinum in cooked, uncured sausage.

Skinless precooked, uncured sausage links with and without potassium sorbate (0.1% wt/wt) were inoculated with salmonellae, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, and Clostridium botulinum and held at 27 C to represent temperature abuse of the product. Total counts of uninoculated product showed that the normal spoilage flora was delayed 1 day when sorbate was present.

Effect of sodium nitrite on toxin production by Clostridium botulinum in bacon.

Pork bellies were formulated to 0, 30, 60, 120, 170, or 340 mug of nitrite per g of meat and inoculated with Clostridium botulinum via pickle or after processing and slicing. Processed bacon was stored at 7 or 27 C and assayed for nitrite, nitrate, and botulinal toxin at different intervals. Nitrite levels declined during processing and storage.

Direct addition of liquid propylene oxide to dried materials for destruction of Salmonellae.

Propylene oxide added in liquid form to dried materials (e.g., animal by-products) is highly effective for destroying salmonellae.

Effect of pH, sodium chloride, and sodium nitrite on enterotoxin A production.

The combined effects of pH, sodium chloride, and sodium nitrite were studied by using a dialysis sac technique in brain heart infusion broth. Growth and enterotoxin A production by Staphylococcus aureus strain 100 were found to decrease with the addition of sodium nitrite, with a decrease in pH from 7.0, and with an increase in sodium chloride concentration.

Factors influencing detection of salmonellae in rendered animal by-products.

Detection of salmonellae in animal by-products is influenced by the enrichment and plating media and by quantity of product tested, and is related to the total plate count. A linear relationship exists between detection of salmonellae and total plate counts from 10(4) through 10(7) per gram.

Potato aroma of lamb carcasses.

Rejection of lamb carcasses due to a strong potato odor was caused by Pseudomonas taetrolens. Although of rare occurrence, this defect can be of considerable commercial concern.

Incidence of mesophilic Clostridium spores in raw pork, beef, and chicken in processing plants in the United States and Canada.

The anaerobic film pouch technique was used to quantitate and isolate clostridial spores in 2,358 samples of raw meat (1,078 of chicken, 624 of beef, 656 of pork). Of 19,727 putrefactive anaerobic (PA) sporeformers isolated, 1 was confirmed by mouse protection testing to be Clostridium botulinum type C. This isolate was obtained from a Western Canada chicken sample which contained 5.