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Effect of Packaging and Storage Time on Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on Kippered Beef Steak and Turkey Tenders
Author(s) -
Uppal Kamaldeep K.,
Getty Kelly J.K.,
Boyle Elizabeth A.E.,
Harper Nigel M.,
LobatonSulabo April Shayne S.,
Barry Bruce
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02485.x
Subject(s) - listeria monocytogenes , food science , chemistry , vacuum packing , modified atmosphere , shelf life , biology , genetics , bacteria
The objective of our study was to determine effect of packaging method and storage time on reducing Listeria monocytogenes in shelf‐stable meat snacks. Commercially available kippered beef steak strips and turkey tenders were dipped into a 5‐strain L. monocytogenes cocktail, and dried at 23 °C until a water activity of 0.80 was achieved. Inoculated samples were packaged with 4 treatments: (1) vacuum, (2) nitrogen flushed with oxygen scavenger, (3) heat sealed with oxygen scavenger, and (4) heat sealed without oxygen scavenger. Samples were stored at 23 °C and evaluated for L. monocytogenes levels at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h. Initial levels (time 0) of L. monocytogenes were approximately 5.7 log CFU/cm 2 for steak and tenders. After 24 h of storage time, a 1 log CFU/cm 2 reduction of L. monocytogenes was observed for turkey tenders for all packaging treatments. After 48 h, turkey tenders showed >1 log CFU/cm 2 reduction of L. monocytogenes for all packaging treatments except for vacuum, where only 0.9 log CFU/cm 2 reduction was observed. After 72 h, reductions for all packaging treatments for turkey tenders ranged from 1.5 to 2.4 log CFU/cm 2 . For kippered beef steak, there was no interaction between the packaging treatments and all storage times ( P > 0.05) whereas, time was different ( P <0.05). For kippered beef steak, there was 1 log reduction of L. monocytogenes at 24 and 48 h of storage times at 23 °C for all packaging treatments and a 2.1 log CFU/ cm 2 L. monocytogenes reduction at 72 h of storage time. Practical Applications: Processors of kippered beef steak and turkey tenders could use a combination of vacuum or nitrogen‐flushing or heat sealed with an oxygen scavenger packaging methods and a holding time of 24 h prior to shipping to reduce potential L. monocytogenes numbers by ≥1 log. However, processors should be encouraged to hold packaged product a minimum of 72 h to enhance the margin of safety for L. monocytogenes control.