Inactivation of Salmonella during drying and storage of Roma tomatoes exposed to predrying treatments including peeling, blanching, and dipping in organic acid solutions.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of predrying treatments, i.e., peeling, blanching prior to inoculation, and dipping in organic acid solutions, on inactivation of Salmonella during drying (60 degrees C for 14 h) and aerobic storage (25 degrees C for 28 days) of inoculated (five-strain composite, 7.1 to 7.4 log CFU/g) Roma tomato halves. Four predrying treatments groups were established. One group received no treatment (C). In the other three groups, unpeeled-unblanched, unpeeled-blanched (steam blanched at 88 degrees C for 3 min), peeled-unblanched, and peeled-blanched tomato halves were immersed for 10 min in water (W), ascorbic acid solution (AA; 3.40%, pH 2.48), or citric acid solution (CA; 0.21%, pH 2.51). Appropriate dilutions of homogenized tomato samples were spread plated on tryptic soy agar with 0.1% pyruvate and XLT4 agar for bacterial enumeration during drying and storage. Ten minutes of immersion in W, AA, or CA reduced bacterial populations by 0.7 to 1.6 log CFU/g. After 14 h of dehydration, total log reductions in the populations of bacteria were 3.2 to 4.5 (C), 3.7 to 4.9 (W), > 5.6 to > 6.1 (AA), and 4.5 to 5.5 (CA) log CFU/g, depending on type of agar used and condition of tomato samples. During drying and storage, the order of pathogen inactivation for predrying dipping treatments was AA > CA > W > C, with AA and CA rendering bacterial populations below detectable levels ( < 1.3 log CFU/g) prior to storage and between 7 and 14 days of storage, respectively. The results also indicated that peeling and blanching of tomatoes prior to inoculation may not necessarily affect destruction of Salmonella during the drying process. Use of predrying acid dipping treatments of tomatoes, especially in AA, may improve destruction of Salmonella during the dehydration process.
Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1171, USA.
Yohan
Y
Yoon
Jarret D
JD
Stopforth
Patricia A
PA
Kendall
John N
JN
Sofos
D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000382:microbiology*; D012475:Salmonella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D019343:Citric Acid; D001205:Ascorbic Acid