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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #289669
Title: Thermal inactivation of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (ECOH) and non-0157 Shiga-toxin producing E.coli (STEC) in mechanically tenderized veal

Author
item Luchansky, John
item Porto-Fett, Anna
item Shoyer, Brad
item THIPPAREDDI, HARSHAVARDHAN - University Of Nebraska
item AMAYA, JESUS - Nagle Veal, Inc
item LEMLER, MICHAEL - Nagle Veal, Inc

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/18/2013
Publication Date: 7/28/2013
Citation: Luchansky, J.B., Porto Fett, A.C., Shoyer, B.A., Thippareddi, H., Amaya, J., Lemler, M. 2013. Thermal inactivation of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (ECOH) and non-0157 Shiga-toxin producing E.coli (STEC) in mechanically tenderized veal. Meeting Abstract. IAFP Annual Meeting, Charlotte, NC, July 28-31,2013.,76:87(P1-61).

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Among the veal samples tested by FSIS from June to September 2012, 3 of 11 (27.3%) were confirmed positive for STEC, compared to 5 of 729 (0.69%) beef trim samples. This difference in detection of confirmed positives from veal samples compared to that from beef is striking and raises the question of whether consumption of veal, particularly if tenderized, poses a greater risk to public health than beef. Quantify thermal destruction of ECOH and STEC in mechanically tenderized veal cutlets following cooking on an electric skillet. Methods: For each of five trials, flattened veal cutlets (ca. 71.6 g, ca. 1/8 inch thick) were surface inoculated with ca. 6.8 log CFU/g of multi-strain cocktails of ECOH or STEC and mechanically tenderized by passing once through a “Sir Steak” tenderizer. For each cooking time, in each trial, three inoculated and tenderized cutlets were individually cooked for 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5, or 2.25 min per side on a skillet set at 191.5 deg C. Canola oil (ca. 15 ml) was added onto the skillet prior to cooking, and the temperatures of the meat and of the skillet were monitored and recorded using a Type J thermocouple. With longer the cooking time, higher internal temperature of the meat was achieved, along with greater reduction of ECOH and STEC. The mean final internal temperature of the meat ranged from 60.5 to 89.2 deg C. Microbial reductions of ca. 1.9 to 6.3 log CFU/g and ca. 2.7 to 6.1 log CFU/g were achieved for ECOH and STEC, respectively. To deliver a 5.0-log reduction of ECOH or STEC, and to achieve the recommended internal temperature of 71.1degC, it would be necessary to cook mechanically tenderized veal cutlets on a pre-heated skillet set at ca. 191.5degC and containing 15 ml of cooking oil for at least 2.25 min per side.