title: Combined effects of temperature, water activity, and pH on Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris spores.
abstract: A response surface model was developed to describe the effects of temperature (35 to 55 degrees C), pH (3.5 to 5.5), and water activity (a(w), 0.960 to 0.992) on germination of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris spores. Germination and growth or viability loss depended, to varying extents, on the interactions among the independent variables and the complexity of the medium. In particular, maximum growth was achieved at temperatures between 35 and 42 degrees C and at pH values from 3.5 to 4.5. The model was validated against data not used in its development. Bias factors of 0.999 and 0.817 for 2- and 7-day models, respectively, were obtained, indicating that the models were "fail safe." Results indicated that the model provided reliable predictions of growth of A. acidoterrestris spores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Agricultural Faculty, University of Foggia, Via Napoli 25, 71100 Foggia, Italy. m.sinigaglia@unifg.it
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sinigaglia
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Corbo
authors.forename: Clelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Altieri
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campaniello
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Amato
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bevilacqua
mesh_terms: D005516:Food Microbiology; D016937:Gram-Positive Endospore-Forming Rods / Q000502:physiology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008954:Models, Biological; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000254:growth & development; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014867:Water