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Exposure to non‐acid fresh meat decontamination washing fluids sensitizes Escherichia coli O157:H7 to organic acids
Author(s) -
Samelis J.,
Sofos J.N.,
Ikeda J.S.,
Kendall P.A.,
Smith G.C.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1046/j.1472-765x.2002.01046.x
Subject(s) - escherichia coli , human decontamination , food science , lactic acid , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , acetic acid , enterobacteriaceae , chemistry , biology , inoculation , biochemistry , medicine , immunology , genetics , pathology , gene
Aims: To investigate whether Escherichia coli O157:H7 maintains acid tolerance in water meat decontamination washing fluids. Methods and Results: A rifampicin‐resistant derivative of E. coli O157:H7 strain ATCC 43895 was inoculated (10 5 cfu ml −1 ) in spray‐washings from meat sprayed with cold (10°C) or hot (85°C) water, stored at 10°C for up to 14 days, and its acid tolerance was assessed at 2 and 8 days by exposure to broth or new washings adjusted to pH 3·5 or 3·7 with lactic or acetic acid· The pathogen survived in the water washings, but it was outgrown by the natural, Pseudomonas ‐like flora, and it was sensitized to acid. Conclusions: The acid tolerance of E. coli O157:H7 decreases following exposure to non‐acid, but otherwise stressful, conditions prevailing in water meat washings at 10°C. Significance and Impact of the Study: These findings suggest that the more intense use of water‐based technologies should be included in meat decontamination strategies because they may contribute to enhanced meat safety by inducing acid sensitization in E. coli O157:H7.