The effect of using citric or acetic acid on survival of Listeria monocytogenes during fish protein recovery by isoelectric solubilization and precipitation process.

Isoelectric solubilization and precipitation (ISP) is a protein recovery process effective at reducing Listeria innocua, a nonpathogenic bacterium typically used as a surrogate for L. monocytogenes in recovered trout protein. The response of L. monocytogenes to ISP processing was determined and compared to the response of L. innocua. Headed and gutted rainbow trout were inoculated with L. monocytogenes (10.16 log CFU/g), homogenized, and pH-adjusted with granular citric acid (pH 2.0 and 2.5) or glacial acetic acid (pH 3.0 and 3.5). Proteins were solubilized and centrifugation was used to remove insoluble components (skin, insoluble protein, so on). The supernatant was returned to the protein isoelectric point (pH 5.5) with NaOH and centrifuged to remove precipitated protein. Microbial load was enumerated on both growth and selective media; recovery was not significantly different (P > 0.05). Surviving cells from each component (protein, insoluble, and water) were compared to initial inoculum numbers. Significant reductions were detected at all pH (P < 0.05). The greatest reductions were at pH 3.0 with acetic acid, with a mean log reduction of 3.03 in the combined components, and a 3.53 log reduction in the protein portion. Data were compared to results from a previous study using L. innocua. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in recovery were found between the 2 species at pH 2.0 and 3.0 with greater recovery of L. monocytogenes, regardless of processing pH or acid type. These results demonstrate the variability in resistance between species and indicate that L. innocua is not an appropriate surrogate for L. monocytogenes for ISP processing with organic acids.