title: Thermal resistance of spores from virulent strains of Bacillus anthracis and potential surrogates.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the thermal resistance of spores of Bacillus anthracis and potential surrogates. The heat resistance of spores suspended in buffer (pH 7.0 or 4.5), milk, or orange juice was determined at 70, 80, and 90 degrees C. D-values for B. anthracis strains Sterne, Vollum, and Pasteur ranged from < 1 min at 90 degrees C to approximately 200 min at 70 degrees C and were lower under acidic than under neutral conditions. The D-values for B. anthracis spores fell within the range obtained for spores from eight strains of Bacillus cereus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus mycoides, and Bacillus subtilis. However, there were significant differences (P < 0.001) among the D-values of the strains. The z-values in pH 7.0 buffer and milk averaged approximately 10.5 degrees C and were not significantly different among strains (P < 0.05). The z-values in pH 4.5 buffer and orange juice averaged 12.9 and 13.9 degrees C, respectively, significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those obtained in milk or in pH 7.0 buffer. The significance of this difference was driven by large differences among a few strains. The z-values for B. anthracis strain Pasteur were twice as high in the acid media than in the neutral media. This study confirms that B. anthracis spores are not unusually heat resistant and that spores from validated Bacillus species are appropriate surrogates for thermal resistance studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Cook College, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers-the State University of New Jersey, 65 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-8520, USA. montville@cook.rutgers.edu
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Montville
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dengrove
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Siano
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonnet
authors.forename: Donald W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Schaffner
mesh_terms: D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000254:growth & development*; D013997:Time Factors; D014774:Virulence