High-pressure processing and antimicrobial biodegradable packaging to control Listeria monocytogenes during storage of cooked ham.
The efficiency of combining high-pressure processing (HPP) and active packaging technologies to control Listeria monocytogenes growth during the shelf life of artificially inoculated cooked ham was assessed. Three lots of cooked ham were prepared: control, packaging with alginate films, and packaging with antimicrobial alginate films containing enterocins. After packaging, half of the samples were pressurized. Sliced cooked ham stored at 6 degrees C experienced a quick growth of L. monocytogenes. Both antimicrobial packaging and pressurization delayed the growth of the pathogen. However, at 6 degrees C the combination of antimicrobial packaging and HPP was necessary to achieve a reduction of inoculated levels without recovery during 60 days of storage. Further storage at 6 degrees C of pressurized antimicrobial packed cooked ham resulted in L. monocytogenes levels below the detection limit (day 90). On the other hand, storage at 1 degrees C controlled the growth of the pathogen until day 39 in non-pressurized ham, while antimicrobial packaging and storage at 1 degrees C exerted a bacteriostatic effect for 60 days. All HPP lots stored at 1 degrees C led to counts <100CFU/g at day 60. Similar results were observed when combining both technologies. After a cold chain break no growth of L. monocytogenes was observed in pressurized ham packed with antimicrobial films, showing the efficiency of combining both technologies.
Marcos
Begonya
B
IRTA, Finca Camps i Armet, E-17121 Monells (Girona), Spain.
Aymerich
Teresa
T
Monfort
Josep M
JM
Garriga
Margarita
M
D000464:Alginates / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005516:Food Microbiology; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D013552:Swine; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D000464:Alginates; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; C012306:enterocin; D020723:Glucuronic Acid