Rapid hot dog surface pasteurization using cycles of vacuum and steam to kill Listeria innocua.
The vacuum/steam/vacuum surface pasteurization process was applied to hot dogs inoculated on the surface with non-pathogenic Listeria innocua. Using the optimum conditions previously found for processing chicken carcasses as a starting point, optimum process conditions were determined for a hot dog treatment compatible with current process line speed. Cycling the treatment significantly improved the microbiological kill. At the optimum conditions of steam time of 0.3 s at 138 degrees C (two cycles), a bacteria kill >3 log CFU/ml was attained. Pasteurization, frequently considered to be a kill of >5 log CFU/ml, was reached by increasing the number of cycles to three. The surface pasteurization process should ensure that hot dogs reaching the consumer are free of Listeria.
Kozempel
M
M
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania 19038, USA. mkozempel@arserrc.gov
Goldberg
N
N
Radewonuk
E R
ER
Scullen
O J
OJ
Craig
J C
JC
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D008087:Listeria; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D013227:Steam; D013499:Surface Properties; D013552:Swine; D014618:Vacuum
D013227:Steam