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Title: CONTROL OF ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7 AND LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES IN RAW AND READY-TO-EAT MEAT PRODUCTS

Author
item Luchansky, John
item Call, Jeffrey
item Porto-Fett, Anna

Submitted to: UJNR Food & Agricultural Panel Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/20/2005
Publication Date: 10/23/2005
Citation: Luchansky, J.B., Call, J.E., Porto Fett, A.C. 2005. Control of escherichia coli o157:h7 and listeria monocytogenes in raw and ready-to-eat meat products. UJNR Food & Agricultural Panel Proceedings. p.362.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Improvements in strategies to eliminate pathogenic bacteria from foods have appreciably lowered, but have not totally eliminated, the threat of food borne illness. Thus, considerable research is ongoing to develop and validate interventions to control food borne pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes in raw and ready-to-eat foods, respectively. Herein we report that food grade chemicals such as acidic calcium sulfate (ACS; calcium sulfate plus lactic acid; 1:1 or 1:2 in dH20) and lauric arginate (LAE; Ethyl-N-dodecanoyl-L-arginate hydrochloride; 5% or 10% in dH2O), delivered by the “Sprayed lethality in container” or “SLIC™” delivery method can reduce levels of L. monocytogenes on hams by 2.0 and 5.0 log10 CFU/ham, respectively, within 24 hours at 4 degrees C and can inhibit (<1 log10 CFU/ham increase) its outgrowth over the expected refrigerated shelf life. We also report that mechanical tenderization of beef subprimals transfers cells of E. coli O157:H7 into the interior of the meat, but that most (13%-40%) of the cells remain in the top 1 cm compared to segments 2 through 6 (2-12%). Regardless, cooking steaks prepared from mechanically tenderized subprimals effectively eliminates the pathogen when steaks are cooked at a target temperature of 140 degrees F or greater.