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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August 1999, p. 3449-3457, Vol. 65, No. 8
Institute of Food Research, Norwich
Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UA, United
Kingdom
Received 23 December 1998/Accepted 10 May 1999
Refrigerated processed foods of extended durability such as
cook-chill and sous-vide foods rely on a minimal heat treatment at 70 to 95°C and then storage at a refrigeration temperature for safety
and preservation. These foods are not sterile and are intended to have
an extended shelf life, often up to 42 days. The principal
microbiological hazard in foods of this type is growth of and toxin
production by nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum. Lysozyme has been shown to increase the measured heat resistance of
nonproteolytic C. botulinum spores. However, the heat
treatment guidelines for prevention of risk of botulism in these
products have not taken into consideration the effect of lysozyme,
which can be present in many foods. In order to assess the botulism hazard, the effect of heat treatments at 70, 75, 80, 85, and 90°C combined with refrigerated storage for up to 90 days on growth from
106 spores of nonproteolytic C. botulinum
(types B, E, and F) in an anaerobic meat medium containing 2,400 U of
lysozyme per ml (50 µg per ml) was studied. Provided that the storage
temperature was no higher than 8°C, the following heat treatments
each prevented growth and toxin production during 90 days; 70°C for
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
A Predictive Model That Describes the Effect of Prolonged Heating
at 70 to 90°C and Subsequent Incubation at Refrigeration Temperatures
on Growth from Spores and Toxigenesis by Nonproteolytic
Clostridium botulinum in the Presence of Lysozyme
2,545 min, 75°C for
463 min, 80°C for
230 min, 85°C for
84 min, and 90°C for
33.5 min. A factorial experimental design
allowed development of a predictive model that described the incubation
time required before the first sample showed growth, as a function of
heating temperature (70 to 90°C), period of heat treatment (up to
2,545 min), and incubation temperature (5 to 25°C). Predictions from the model provided a valid description of the data used to generate the
model and agreed with observations made previously.
*
Corresponding author. Present address:
Microbiología, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Orihuela,
Universidad Miguel Hernández, Ctra. Beniel km. 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain. Phone: 34 9666749659. Fax: 34 966749609. E-mail: p.fernandez{at}umh.es.
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