Inactivation Kinetics of Pathogens during Thermal Processing in Acidified Broth and Tomato Purée (pH 4.5)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Thermal inactivation kinetics for single strains of Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica were measured in acidified tryptic soy broth (TSB; pH 4.5) heated at 54°C. Inactivation curves also were measured for single-pathogen five-strain cocktails of E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, and S. enterica heated in tomato purée (pH 4.5) at 52, 54, 56, and 58°C. Inactivation curves were fit using log-linear and nonlinear (Weibull) models. The Weibull model yields the time for a 5-log reduction (t*) and a curve shape parameter (β). Decimal reduction times (D-values) and thermal resistance constants (z-values) from the two models were compared by defining t* = 5D* for the Weibull model. When the log-linear and Weibull models match at the 5-log reduction time, then t* = 5D* = 5D and D = D*. In 18 of 20 strains heated in acidified TSB, D and D* for the two models were not significantly different, although nonlinearity was observed in 35 of 60 trials. Similarly, in 51 of 52 trials for pathogen cocktails heated in tomato purée, D and D* were not significantly different, although nonlinearity was observed in 31% of trials. At a given temperature, D-values for S. enterica << L. monocytogenes < E. coli O157:H7 in tomato purée (pH 4.5). When using the two models, z-values calculated from the D-values were not significantly different for a given pathogen. Across all pathogens, z-values for E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica were not different but were significantly lower than the z-values for L. monocytogenes. These results are useful for supporting process filings for tomato-based acidified food products with pH 4.5 and below and are relevant to small processors of tomato-based acidified canned foods who do not have the resources to conduct research on and validate pathogen lethality.