Use of lactic acid with electron beam irradiation for control of Escherichia coli O157:H7, non-O157 VTEC E. coli, and Salmonella serovars on fresh and frozen beef.

Lactic acid pre-treatment was examined to enhance the antimicrobial action of electron (e-) beam irradiation of beef trim. Meat samples were inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, non-O157 VTEC E. coli or Salmonella cocktails and treated with 5% lactic acid at 55 °C. Samples were packaged aerobically or vacuum-packed, kept at 4 °C and treated with 1 kGy e-beam energy. Frozen samples were treated with 1, 3 or 7 kGy and stored at -20 °C for ≤ 5 d. Lactic acid enhanced the antimicrobial action of 1 kGy e-beam treatment against Salmonella by causing an additional <1.8 log CFU/g reduction. One kGy treatment of refrigerated samples reduced VTEC E. coli viability by 4.5 log CFU/g, and while lactic acid did not improve the reduction, after freezing additive effects were found. After 3 kGy irradiation, Salmonella was reduced by 2 and 4 log CFU/g in the irradiated and lactic acid plus irradiated samples, respectively. Lactic acid pre-treatment was of limited value with 1 kGy treatment for improving control of toxigenic E. coli in fresh beef trim, however, it would be useful with low dose irradiation for controlling both VTEC E. coli and Salmonella in frozen product.

Use of low dose e-beam irradiation to reduce E. coli O157:H7, non-O157 (VTEC) E. coli and Salmonella viability on meat surfaces.

This study determined the extent that irradiation of fresh beef surfaces with an absorbed dose of 1 kGy electron (e-) beam irradiation might reduce the viability of mixtures of O157 and non-O157 verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) and Salmonella. These were grouped together based on similar resistances to irradiation and inoculated on beef surfaces (outside flat and inside round, top and bottom muscle cuts), and then e-beam irradiated. Salmonella serovars were most resistant to 1 kGy treatment, showing a reduction of ≤1.9 log CFU/g. This treatment reduced the viability of two groups of non-O157 E. coli mixtures by ≤4.5 and ≤3.9 log CFU/g. Log reductions of ≤4.0 log CFU/g were observed for E. coli O157:H7 cocktails. Since under normal processing conditions the levels of these pathogens on beef carcasses would be lower than the lethality caused by the treatment used, irradiation at 1 kGy would be expected to eliminate the hazard represented by VTEC E. coli.

Use of low-dose irradiation to evaluate the radiation sensitivity of Escherichia coli O157:H7, non-O157 verotoxigenic Escherichia coli, and Salmonella in phosphate-buffered saline.

Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) and Salmonella are major foodborne pathogens, but very little information is available on the radiation resistance of a sufficiently diverse group of these pathogens. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of E. coli O157:H7, non-O157 VTEC, and Salmonella to a low-dose ionizing radiation treatment. Test organisms were 6 serovars of Salmonella, 5 strains of E. coli O157:H7, and 27 strains of non-O157 VTEC (representing 19 serotypes). Decimal reduction doses (D-values) for individual strains were determined in phosphate-buffered saline using an X-ray source. The viability of the bacterial cells declined with an increase in absorbed dose from 0 to 0.3 kGy. The more resistant test strains were screened at 0.5 and 0.7 kGy. All six Salmonella strains survived at 0.5 and 0.7 kGy; however, only 11 VTEC survived at 0.7 kGy. After the 0.3-kGy treatment, both E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 VTEC had D-values with similar means and ranges (0.028 to 0.123 and 0.037 to 0.127 kGy, respectively), with no significant differences (P > 0.05). Salmonella strains had a slightly higher range of D-values (0.061 to 0.147 kGy) and a mean D-value that was significantly higher (P > 0.05) than that of both the E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 VTEC groups.

Effect of low-dose electron beam irradiation on quality of ground beef patties and raw, intact carcass muscle pieces.

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of a low-dose (≤1 kGy), low-penetration electron beam on the sensory qualities of (1) raw muscle pieces of beef and (2) cooked ground beef patties. Outside flat, inside round, brisket and sirloin muscle pieces were used as models to demonstrate the effect of irradiation on raw beef odor and color, as evaluated by a trained panel. Ground beef patties were also evaluated by a trained panel for tenderness, juiciness, beef flavor, and aroma at 10%, 20%, and 30% levels of fat, containing 0% (control), 10%, 20%, 50%, and 100% irradiated meat. With whole muscle pieces, the color of controls appeared more red (P < 0.05) than irradiated muscles, however, both control and treatments showed a gradual deterioration in color over 14 d aerobic storage at 4 °C. Off-aroma intensity of both control and treatments increased with storage time, but by day 14, the treated muscles showed significantly (P < 0.05) less off-aroma than the controls, presumably as a result of a lower microbial load. It was found that a 1 kGy absorbed dose had minimal effects on the sensory properties of intact beef muscle pieces. Irradiation did not have a significant effect (P > 0.05) on any of the sensory attributes of the patties. Low-dose irradiation of beef trim to formulate ground beef appears to be a viable alternative processing approach that does not affect product quality.