title: Effect of stress induced by suboptimal growth factors on survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7.
abstract: This study investigated the growth and survival of E. coli O157:H7 exposed to a combination of suboptimal factors (22 degrees C, 7 degrees C, -18 degrees C/0.5% NaCl, 5.0% NaCl/pH 7.0, pH 5.4, pH 4.5/addition of lactic acid) in a simulation medium for red meat (beef gravy). Prolonged survival was noted as the imposed stress was more severe, and as multiple growth factors became suboptimal. At a defined temperature (7 degrees C or -18 degrees C), survival was prolonged at the more acid, more suboptimal pH (pH 4.5 > pH 5.4 > pH 7.0) while at a defined pH (pH 4.5), better survival was observed at 7 degrees C than at 22 degrees C. This suggests that application of the hurdle concept for preservation of food may inhibit outgrowth but induce prolonged survival of E. coli O157:H7 in minimal processed foods. At both 22 degrees C and 7 degrees C, the addition of lactic acid instead of HCl to reduce pH (to pH 4.5) resulted in a more rapid decrease of E. coli O157:H7. High survival was observed in beef gravy, pH 5.4 at -18 degrees C (simulation of frozen meat)-reduction of log 3.0 to log 1.9 after 43 days--and in beef gravy, pH 4.5 and 5% NaCl at 7 degrees C (simulation of a fermented dried meat product kept in refrigeration)--less than 1 log reduction in 43 days. In these circumstances, however, a high degree of sublethal damage of the bacterial cells was noted. The degree of sublethal damage can be estimated from the difference in recovery of the pathogen on the non-selective TSA medium and the selective SMAC medium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, University of Ghent, Belgium. mieke.uyttendaele@rug.ac.be
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uyttendaele
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Taverniers
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Debevere
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003470:Culture Media; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000254:growth & development*; D005519:Food Preservation; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D003470:Culture Media