title: Role of bacterial association and penetration on destruction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef tissue by high pH.
abstract: This study was undertaken to determine if association with collagen enables Escherichia coli O157:H7 to resist high-pH treatments and to determine the effects of high pH on the survival of E. coli O157:H7 within different layers of beef tissue. E. coli O157:H7 was inoculated onto purified bovine type I collagen on 12-mm2 circular glass coverslips, plain 12-mm2 circular glass coverslips (control), and 12-mm2 irradiated (cobalt-60) lean beef tissue. The rates of destruction of E. coli O157:H7 inoculated on coverslips in pH 10.5 NaHCO3-NaOH buffer at 35 degrees C were determined at various sampling times. E. coli O157:H7 cells associated with collagen and treated in the same manner were also examined using scanning electron microscopy to determine if association with collagen enabled the organism to resist high-pH treatments. The inoculated tissue was treated in pH 13.0 NaHCO3-NaOH buffer at 25 degrees C, and penetrating cells of E. coli O157:H7 were recovered using a cryostat technique. There was no significant difference (P < 0.05) between the rates of destruction of collagen-associated E. coli O157:H7 and non-collagen-associated E. coli O157:H7 following exposure to high-pH treatments. Scanning electron micrographs showed that collagen-associated E. coli O157:H7 cells appeared physically damaged by exposure to high-pH treatments, and association of E. coli O157:H7 to collagen did not increase the resistance of the organism to destruction by high-pH rinses. No significant differences were seen between 20 ml of NaHCO3-NaOH buffer at pH 13.0 (treatment) and 20 ml of distilled water at pH 7.0 (control) when E. coli O157:H7 cells were recovered in beef tissue at depths of up to 2,000 microm (P < 0.05). The ability of E. coli O157:H7 to penetrate beef tissue may be an important factor in reducing the effectiveness of high-pH treatments in killing this organism on beef tissue. This finding should be considered in the future when designing treatments to decontaminate beef carcasses.
authors.affiliation: Food Processors Institute, Washington, DC 20005, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Woody
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doores
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Henning
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Knabel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen