title: Thermal inactivation of heat-shocked Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes in dairy compost.
abstract: Thermal resistance of heat-shocked Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes was compared with that of non-heat-shocked (control) strains in finished dairy compost. A three-strain mixture of each pathogen was heat shocked at 47.5°C for 1 h and inoculated into the compost at a final concentration of 10(7) CFU/g. The inoculated compost was placed inside an environmental chamber set at 50, 55, or 60°C with humidity at ca. 70%. The heat-shocked E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and L. monocytogenes survived better (P < 0.05) at 50°C, with reductions of 2.7, 3.2, and 3.9 log CFU/g within 4 h compared with reductions of 3.6, 4.5, and 5.1 log CFU/g, respectively, in control cultures. The heat-shocked cultures of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and L. monocytogenes had 1.2-, 1.9-, and 2.3-log reductions, respectively, within 1 h at 55°C, whereas the corresponding control cultures had 4-, 5.6-, and 4.8-log reductions, respectively. At 60°C, a rapid population reduction was observed during the come-up time of 14 min in control cultures of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and L. monocytogenes with 4.9-, 4.8-, and 2.3-log reductions, respectively, compared with 2.6-, 2.4-, 1.7-log reductions, respectively, in heat-shocked cultures. L. monocytogenes survival curves for all three temperatures had extensive tailing. The double Weibull distribution model was a good fit for the survival curves of pathogens, with differences in the shape parameter of heat-shocked and control cultures. Our results suggest that the heat-shocked pathogens may have extended survival at lethal temperatures attained during the composting process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, USA.
authors.forename: Randhir
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Xiuping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003612:Dairying; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000254:growth & development*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000254:growth & development*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012475:Salmonella / Q000254:growth & development*; D012988:Soil Microbiology