title: Survival of Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium in vacuum-packed, moisture-enhanced pork.
abstract: The abilities of Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium to survive in vacuum-packaged, moisture-enhanced pork stored at 4 or 10°C were examined. Pork loins were surface inoculated with either C. jejuni or Salmonella Typhimurium and then  moisture enhanced to a target of 10 or 20%. The enhanced pork loins were sliced 1 cm thick and vacuum packaged. A pork loin without moisture enhancement was sliced and vacuum packaged as a control. Samples were collected, plated, and the numbers of surviving organisms were determined periodically  during storage at 4 and 10°C. The numbers of C. jejuni or Salmonella Typhimurium in samples with different moisture enhancement levels were similar (P > 0.05). No significant differences (P > 0.05) in C. jejuni counts were observed between samples  at 10°C and those at 4°C. In contrast, the numbers of Salmonella Typhimurium in samples at 10°C had significantly (P < 0.05) increased (0.41 log CFU/g) from those at the refrigerated temperature of 4°C. Vacuum storage at 4 and 10°C for 28 days did not result  in dramatic reductions in the mean numbers of C. jejuni and Salmonella Typhimurium. Our findings indicate that vacuum packaging under chilled conditions will not add substantially to safety for moisture-enhanced pork. Strict hygienic practices or the implementation of decontamination  technologies is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Microbiology Program, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA.
authors.forename: Xuesong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dickson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000254:growth & development*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005516:Food Microbiology; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D050296:Microbial Viability; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000254:growth & development*; D013552:Swine; D014618:Vacuum; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water