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Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are regularly implicated in foodborne illness outbreaks and recalls of ground beef. In this study we determined the High Pressure Processing (HPP) D 10 value (the processing conditions needed to reduce the microbial population by 1 log) of 39 STEC isolates, including the “big six” serovars, O104 and O157:H7. STEC isolates included those isolated from animals and environmental sources in addition to those associated with illness in humans. Individual STEC were inoculated into 80% lean ground beef and treated with HPP (350 MPa, 4 °C, up to 40 min). The mean D 10 was 9.74 min, with a range of 0.89–25.70 min. The D 10 of the STEC involved in human illness was 9.25 vs. 10.40 min for those not involved in human illness (p > 0.05). The presence or absence of genes encoding virulence factors (e.g. Shiga toxin 1 or 2, intimin, or enterohemolysin) had no effect on the HPP D 10 (p > 0.05). The high D 10 of some STEC involved in human illness should be considered in selecting HPP processing parameters for ground beef. This study demonstrates the heterogeneity of STEC resistance to HPP. Risk assessors and the food industry can use this information to provide safer meat products to consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effects of electron-beam or gamma irradiation (doses of 1.5 kGy and 2.5 kGy of either one) on the microbial populations, respiratory activity and sensory characteristics of Tuber melanosporum packaged under modified atmospheres were monitored immediately after treatment, and subsequently every seven days during 35 days of storage at 4 °C. Treatments with 1.5 and 2.5 kGy reduced the total mesophilic aerobes counts respectively by 4.3 and 5.6 log cfu/g for electron-beam treatment, and by 6.4 and 6.6 log cfu/g for gamma irradiation. Other microbial groups studied (Pseudomonas genus, Enterobacteriaceae family, lactic acid bacteria, mesophilic aerobic spores, molds and yeasts) were not detected after the treatments. A decrease in the respiratory activity was detected in all the irradiated batches, indicating that the carbon dioxide levels were lower and the oxygen levels higher than those of the non-irradiated ones. Two species of yeasts, Candida sake and Candida membranifaciens var. santamariae, survived the irradiation treatments and became the dominant microbial populations with counts of up to 7.0 log cfu/g. The growth of these microorganisms was visible on the surface of irradiated truffles from day 21 onwards, affecting the flavor and the general acceptability of the ascocarps. Moreover, a watery exudate was detected in the treated truffles from the third week onwards, so the application of irradiation treatments in doses equal to or above 1.5 kGy did not preserve the quality characteristics of T. melanosporum truffles beyond 28 days. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of two doses of electron-beam irradiation (1.5 kGy and 2.5 kGy) on the microbial populations (total mesophilic aerobes, Pseudomonas genus, Enterobacteriaceae family, molds and yeasts) and sensory characteristics of Tuber aestivum packaged under modified atmospheres were monitored immediately after treatment, and weekly during 42 days of storage at 4 °C. Treatment with 1.5 and 2.5 kGy reduced the pseudomonads populations by 4.3 and 5.5 logs, respectively. Enterobacteriaceae counts decreased by 5.4 logs with the 1.5 kGy dose and counts below the detection limit (<1.0 log cfu/g) were obtained with the 2.5 kGy dose. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were less affected by the ionizing radiation treatments and they became the dominant microbial populations throughout storage with microbial counts up to 7.1 log cfu/g. The carbon dioxide levels inside the packages containing irradiated truffles were lower than those of the non-irradiated ones, suggesting a decrease in the respiration rate of the treated ascocarps. The treatments with 1.5 and 2.5 kGy e-beam did not negatively affect the sensory characteristics of truffles, but a visible superficial yeast growth was detected in truffles irradiated with 1.5 kGy at the end of their shelf life (day 28). Treatment with 2.5 kGy e-beam has prolonged the shelf life to 42 days, compared with 21 days for the untreated samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The anti-listerial activity of microfloras from the surface of various smear-ripened cheeses was evaluated using four methods that were then compared. Method A measured the anti-listerial potential of supernatants from short-time liquid cultures, whereas in Method B, a model cheese was co-inoculated with the microflora and Listeria innocua test strains. Method C was based on successive propagations of the microfloras on this model cheese, and Method D on successive propagations of the microfloras together with Listeria test strains. Anti-listerial activity considerably depended on the microflora used. Significant correlations were obtained between Methods A and B and Methods C and D. With Methods C and D, the highest anti-listerial activity was obtained with the microflora from a Livarot-type cheese (FC12). To investigate the cause of the anti-listerial activity of FC12, Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) analyses of microbial populations were performed on the original microflora as well as on the microflora after propagations on the model cheese. The composition of FC12 had changed considerably upon propagation, and in the propagated microflora, the population of yeasts was dominated by Yarrowia lipolytica strains, whereas the population of bacteria was dominated by Vagococcus species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the total mesophilic microorganisms, Pseudomonas genus, Enterobacteriaceae family, mold and yeast counts and the presence of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp on Tuber aestivum and Tuber melanosporum ascocarps. The results confirmed that the major percentage of the microorganisms, approximately 9.0 log ufc/g, were present in the peridium, the glebas of healthy truffles being practically free of microorganisms. The predominant microbial group was the Pseudomonas averaging 8.3 and 8.4 log cfu/g on T. aestivum and T. melanosporum whole ascocarps, respectively. The Enterobacteriaceae also achieved high populations, especially in T. aestivum truffles, with 6.3 log cfu/g. Molds and yeasts never exceeded 5.0 log cfu/g. The characterization of the isolates revealed that the fluorescens pseudomonads were the most prevalent. Raoultella terrigena and Enterobacter intermedius were the dominant Enterobacteriaceae. The identification of the yeast isolates revealed five species: Debaryomyces hansenii, Issatchenkia scutulata, Rhodotorula aurantiaca, Saccharomyces dairensis and Trichosporon beigelii subspecies A and B. The mold genera detected in both species of truffles were Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Penicillium and Fusarium, Trichoderma being present only in T. aestivum. L. monocytogenes was found in 10% of the samples of T. aestivum analysed but Salmonella spp. was not detected. Knowledge of the microbial population in terms of possible food borne and pathogen microorganisms is very useful for establishing successful disinfection and storage methods to prolong the shelf-life of ascocarps of T. aestivum and T. melanosporum. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Microbial, physical and structural changes in high pressured wheat dough were studied as a function of pressure level (50–250MPa) and holding time (1–4min). Thereafter, selected conditions of high hydrostatic processing (HPP) were applied to bread dough and the technological quality of the obtained breads was studied. The effect of HPP on wheat dough was investigated by determining microbial population (total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, moulds and yeasts), color and mechanical and texture surface related dough parameters (cohesiveness, adhesiveness, hardness and stickiness). HPP reduced the endogenous microbial population of wheat dough from 104 colony forming units/g (CFU) to levels of 102 CFU. HPP treatment significantly (P <0.05) increased dough hardness and adhesiveness, whereas treatment time reduced its stickiness. Scanning electron micrographs suggested that proteins were affected when subjected to pressure levels higher than 50MPa, but starch modification required higher pressure levels. HPP treated yeasted doughs led to wheat breads with different appearance and technological characteristics; crumb acquired brownish color and heterogeneous cell gas distribution with increased hardness due to new crumb structure. This study suggests that high hydrostatic processing in the range 50–200MPa could be an alternative technique for obtaining novel textured cereal based products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of pressure (400, 500 and 600 MPa), dwell time (1 and 5 min) and temperature (25 and 75 °C) on microbial quality and protein stability of soymilk during 28 days of storage (4 °C) were evaluated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. After processing and during storage, there were significant differences in total bacterial count (TBC), numbers of psychrotrophs (PSY) and Enterobacteriaceae (ENT), and protein stability between untreated (control) and pressurized samples (P < 0.05). Pressure applied at an initial temperature of 75 °C resulted in a greater suppression in growth of PSY compared to TBC. No ENT was detected in pressurized samples throughout the storage period tested. Dwell time had no significant effect on log reduction of TBC at 25 or 75 °C (P > 0.05). Pressure at 400 MPa (5 min), 500 and 600 MPa (1 and 5 min) produced 100% sub-lethal injury in surviving bacterial populations irrespective of temperature. After 28 days of refrigerated storage, both aerobic and anaerobic pressurized samples had better or similar stability as the control on day one of storage. Soymilk control samples were spoiled after 7 days whereas pressurization increased soymilk shelf-life by at least 2 weeks. Pressure (600 MPa) at 75 °C for 1 min not only significantly reduced initial microbial populations and increased the microbial shelf-life but also extended the protein stability of soymilk (P < 0.05). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A biosensor for rapid detection of bacterial count based on adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence has been developed. The biosensor is composed of a key sensitive element and a photomultiplier tube used as a detector element. The disposable sensitive element consists of a sampler, a cartridge where intracellular ATP is chemically extracted from bacteria, and a microtube where the extracted ATP reacts with the luciferin–luciferase reagent to produce bioluminescence. The bioluminescence signal is transformed into relevant electrical signal by the detector and further measured with a homemade luminometer. Parameters affecting the amount of the extracted ATP, including the types of ATP extractants, the concentrations of ATP extractant, and the relevant neutralizing reagent, were optimized. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the biosensor showed a linear response to standard bacteria in a concentration range from 103 to 108 colony-forming units (CFU) per milliliter with a correlation coefficient of 0.925 (n =22) within 5min. Moreover, the bacterial count of real food samples obtained by the biosensor correlated well with those by the conventional plate count method. The proposed biosensor, with characteristics of low cost, easy operation, and fast response, provides potential application to rapid evaluation of bacterial contamination in the food industry, environment monitoring, and other fields. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]