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REMOVAL OF BACILLUS ANTHRACIS STERNE SPORE FROM COMMERCIAL UNPASTEURIZED LIQUID EGG WHITE USING CROSS‐FLOW MICROFILTRATION *
Author(s) -
MUKHOPADHYAY S.,
TOMASULA P.M.,
LUCHANSKY J.B.,
PORTOFETT A.,
CALL J.E.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of food processing and preservation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.511
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1745-4549
pISSN - 0145-8892
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4549.2011.00551.x
Subject(s) - spore , pasteurization , microfiltration , bacillus anthracis , egg white , food science , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , bacillus (shape) , biology , bacteria , membrane , biochemistry , genetics
The validity of a cross‐flow microfiltration (MF) process for separation of an avirulent strain of Bacillus anthracis (BA) spores from commercial unpasteurized liquid egg white (LEW) was examined. Unpasteurized LEW was inoculated with BA to a level of approximately 10 6 spores/mL and microfiltered using a 1.4‐micron ceramic membrane. Permeate flux increased at a rate of 50 L/h m 2 per unit pH decrease, which is almost 30 times greater compared with the rate of increase in flux due to a unit increase in temperature. Spore removal efficiency was at least 6.14 log 10 spores/mL. In a storage stability study, microfiltered LEW showed no outgrowth of spores for 21 days at 4C. Egg white protein permeation, and hence the functional properties, were unaffected during MF. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Bacillus anthracis (BA), a spore‐forming bacterium and a potential biothreat agent, could be used as an atypical foodborne pathogen for intentional contamination of the food supply. Thermal pasteurization is effective only for pathogens that are in vegetative forms such as Salmonella , but ineffective for destroying spore‐forming pathogens, such as BA. Also, egg proteins' ability to form foam or gel is severely destroyed during pasteurization, since egg albumin is highly heat sensitive. There is a serious need in the agri‐industry to develop an effective intervention strategy for removal of B. anthracis from high value foods such as liquid eggs. The current study describes a microfiltration process that is capable of removing almost 99.9999% BA spores from liquid egg white (LEW) without affecting egg white's ability to form foam or gel, and hence may provide an option for safety and security of liquid foods such as LEW.