Efficacy of an Oxygen Scavenger to Modify the Atmosphere and Prevent Mold Growth on Meal, Ready-to-Eat Pouched Bread.

An oxygen scavenging system enclosed in a pouch with baked, meal, ready-to-eat bread prevented growth of a mixed mold inoculum on the surface of the bread for 13 months. In the absence of the oxygen scavenger, growth of Aspergillus and Penicillium was visible on the bread within 14 d. Growth of molds on pouched culture media, with and without sorbate, was also prevented by oxygen scavenging packets.

Bacteriology, Water Activity and Moisture/Salt Ratio of Six Brands of Precooked Canned Bacon.

Six commercial brands of precooked canned bacon, comprising 101 cans, were examined to determine if they complied with military specifications for a moisture-to-salt (M/S) ratio (percent moisture divided by percent salt) of ⩽ 9.0. Three brands were found in compliance with expected lot average values (ELAV) for M/S ratio of 4.70, 5.58 and 6.10. Water activity ELAVs of samples from these three brands were 0.82, 0.89 and 0.91; aerobic plates counts (APCs) ranged from <100 (64%) to 1500/g. Brands not in compliance had M/S ratio ELAVs of 11.24, 12.00 and 12.83; water activity ELAVs of 0.93, 0.97 and 0.99; and APCs as high as 1.7 × 107/g.

Bacteriological and Temperature Survey of Ginger Beef Pot Roast Production at a Central Food Preparation Facility.

A time-temperature and bacteriological survey of roast beef production at a Central Food Processing Facility was undertaken to identify and eliminate food preparation practices which had previously occasionally led to excessive numbers of Clostridium perfringens in roast beef at that facility. C. perfringens was not detected in the meat or in additives at any stage of the process, but potentially hazardous conditions which would allow its growth, if present, were identified.

Rapid Enumeration and Identification of Stressed Fecal Coliforms.

A rapid (72 h) method for enumeration and subsequent identification of fecal coliforms is described. The procedure consists of plating a food suspension in an agar-repair medium (trypticase soy agar pour plates preincubated at 35 C for 2 h, then overlaid with violet red bile agar) incubated at 45.5 C. Fecal coliforms can be enumerated within 24 h and then confirmed as Escherichia coli within 48 h by subculturing typical colonies to an 1M ViC agar plate. Feasibility and applicability of the procedure were demonstrated by comparing the efficiency of recovery of both stressed and non-stressed cells on the agar repair medium with conventional agar and liquid most-probable-number media.

Occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in and the Moisture Content of Precooked Canned Bacon.

Staphylococcus aureus was found in 9.0% of 221 cans of precooked bacon. The count in 6.9% of the cans exceeded 1000/g and ranged as high as 1.7 × 105/g. Aerobic plate counts were greater than 105/g in 24% of the cans. The maximum moisture to salt ratio (percent moisture divided by percent salt) of 9.0, permitted by Federal Specifications, was exceeded in 73.0% of the cans and ranged from 5.97 to 21.44. This bacon production was rejected for military procurement.