Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes in cooked ham through active packaging with natural antimicrobials and high-pressure processing

J Food Prot. 2007 Nov;70(11):2498-502. doi: 10.4315/0362-028x-70.11.2498.

Abstract

Enterocins A and B and sakacin K at 200 and 2,000 activity units (AU)/cm2, nisin at 200 AU/cm2, 1.8% potassium lactate, and a combination of 200 AU/cm2 of nisin and 1.8% lactate were incorporated into interleavers, and their effectiveness against Listeria monocytogenes spiked in sliced, cooked ham was evaluated. Antimicrobial-packaged cooked ham was then subjected to high-pressure processing (HPP) at 400 MPa. In nonpressurized samples, nisin plus lactate-containing interleavers were the most effective, inhibiting L. monocytogenes growth for 30 days at 6 degrees C, with counts that were 1.9 log CFU/g lower than in the control after 3 months. In the other antimicrobial-containing interleavers, L. monocytogenes did not exhibit a lag phase and progressively grew to levels of about 8 log CFU/g. HPP of actively packaged ham slices reduced Listeria populations about 4 log CFU/g in all batches containing bacteriocins (i.e., nisin, sakacin, and enterocins). At the end of storage, L. monocytogenes levels in the bacteriocin-containing batches were the lowest, with counts below 1.51 log CFU/g. In contrast, HPP moderately reduced L. monocytogenes counts in the control and lactate batches, with populations gradually increasing to about 6.5 log CFU/g at the end of storage.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacteriocins / pharmacology
  • Bridged-Ring Compounds / pharmacology
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Food Contamination / analysis
  • Food Contamination / prevention & control
  • Food Handling / methods*
  • Food Microbiology
  • Food Packaging / methods*
  • Food Preservation / methods*
  • Lactates / pharmacology
  • Listeria monocytogenes / drug effects
  • Listeria monocytogenes / growth & development*
  • Meat Products / microbiology*
  • Nisin / pharmacology
  • Pressure
  • Swine

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacteriocins
  • Bridged-Ring Compounds
  • Lactates
  • Nisin
  • enterocin