Post-Processing Interventions to Control Listeriosis.ppt

Post-Processing Interventions to Control Listeriosis Don L. Zink, Ph.D. Office of Plant and Dairy Foods and Beverages Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Food and Drug Administration Risk Management Strategies Eliminate L. monocytogenes from the environment of processing plants that produce ready-to-eat foods Use a pasteurization processes to destroy L. monocytogenes In-pack pasteurization, or Immediately before packaging Use product formulations that prevent the growth of L. monocytogenes Steam Surface Pasteurization* Steam Surface Pasteurization Steam Surface Pasteurization Steam Surface Pasteurization Steam Surface Pasteurization Hot dogs inoculated with indicator microorganism SSP treatment = 1.5 seconds 4-log reduction for single-layer package configuration Actual Listeria monocytogenes inoculated-pack tests (102 per package) resulted in zero positives Double-layer package tests in progress Preliminary findings show 2.0 - 2.5 log reduction High Pressure Processing High Pressure Processing Uses the combined effects of temperature and high pressure to kill bacteria Minimizes thermal damage to products Reduces treatment time Lethal effect of treatment can be modeled and characterized for each product type Process can be applied to packaged product Not limited to surface-only effects, thus is applicable to sliced products A Batch process with significant capital costs High Pressure Processing High Pressure Processing In-Package Pasteurization In Package Pasteurization Product Formulation Product Formulation Product Formulation Product Formulation The model has been incorporated into a spreadsheet. Composition (moisture, salt, lactate and diacetate) and an assumption about inoculum are input. Growth parameters and a predicted growth curve are generated. The model is used interactively to develop formulations that predict acceptable product quality and inhibit Listeria growth. Product Formulation Growth rates in uncured products are much higher Nitrite i