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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Microbial and Chemical Food Safety » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #413147
Title: Growth and no-growth boundary of Clostridium perfringens in cooked cured meats – A logistic analysis and development of critical control surfaces using a solid growth medium

Author
item AHMAD, NURUL - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item Huang, Lihan
item Hwang, Cheng An

Submitted to: Food Research International
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/26/2024
Publication Date: 6/27/2024
Citation: Ahmad, N., Huang, L., Hwang, C. 2024. Growth and no-growth boundary of Clostridium perfringens in cooked cured meats – A logistic analysis and development of critical control surfaces using a solid growth medium. Food Research International. 191:114701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114701.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114701

Interpretive Summary: Clostridium perfringens is a significant foodborne pathogen that can grow in meat and poultry products regulated by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of sodium nitrite (curing agent), sodium erythorbate (curing accelerator), sodium tripolyphosphate (antimicrobial agent), and salt on the growth of C. perfringens from spores in cooked cured meats. A concept of critical control surface was developed by logistic regression and validated using cured ground beef, showing that a proper combination of these ingredients could inhibit the growth of this pathogen even under the optimum temperature condition. The results from this study can be used by the food industry to prevent the growth of C. perfringens in cooked cured meats during the stabilization process.

Technical Abstract: Clostridium perfringens is a significant food safety hazard in cooked meat and poultry products. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of sodium nitrite (NaNO2, 100-200 ppm), sodium erythorbate (SE, 0-547 ppm), sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP, 0-0.5%), and salt (2-3%) on growth of C. perfringens in cooked cured meat and to develop a no-growth boundary or critical control surfaces (CCS) to prevent its growth. Melted Shahidi Ferguson Perfringens agar (SFPA), containing NaNO2, SE, STPP, and salt formulated according to a Box-Behnken response surface experimental design, was inoculated with a 3-strain spore cocktail, dispersed in 96-well microplates, and incubated anaerobically in an incubator programmed to remain at 4°C for 24 h, heat to 80°C in 1.75 h, quickly (0.25 h) cool to 46°C (optimum temperature), and then maintain at 46°C overnight. The plates were examined optically for bacterial growth. Any well free of growth was designated as no-growth. Logistic regression was used to analyze the growth probability (P) as affected by NaNO2, SE, STPP, and salt and define a CSS meeting the criterion of P < 1/96. The results showed that STPP and the interactions of SE with NaNO2 and salt could reduce the growth probability of C. perfringens in SFPA. The validation of CCS with ground beef confirmed no growth of C. perfringens in the inoculated samples. The results of this study proved that cured meat can be formulated with proper combinations of NaNO2, SE, STPP, and NaCl to prevent the growth of C. perfringens under the optimum temperature condition, thus preventing food poisoning caused by the growth of this microorganism.