Determination of thermal lethality of Listeria monocytogenes in fully cooked chicken breast fillets and strips during postcook in-package pasteurization.
Fully cooked chicken breast fillets and strips were surface inoculated with a cocktail of Listeria monocytogenes culture. The inoculation level was 10(7) to 10(8) CFU/g meat. The inoculated products were vacuum packaged and pasteurized at 90 degrees C with a pilot-scale steam or hot water cooker. After heat treatment, the survivors of L. monocytogenes were enumerated. No significant difference was found on survivors of L. monocytogenes between steam- and hot water-treated products. To achieve a 7-log10 (CFU/g) reduction, approximately 5, 25, and 35 min were needed for single-packaged fillets, 227-g package strips, and 454-g strips, respectively. The results from this study were subsequently verified by a computer model that could predict the thermal lethality of pathogens in fully cooked meat and poultry products during postcook in-package pasteurization.
Murphy
R Y
RY
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA. rymurph@uark.edu
Duncan
L K
LK
Driscoll
K H
KH
Beard
B L
BL
Berrang
M B
MB
Marcy
J A
JA
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003296:Cooking / Q000379:methods*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005516:Food Microbiology; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000254:growth & development*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011202:Poultry Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014618:Vacuum