scholarly journals Impact of Vacuum Cooling on Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infiltration into Lettuce Tissue

2008 ◽  
Vol 74 (10) ◽  
pp. 3138-3142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiping Li ◽  
Mehrdad Tajkarimi ◽  
Bennie I. Osburn

ABSTRACT Vacuum cooling is a common practice in the California leafy green industry. This study addressed the impact of vacuum cooling on the infiltration of Escherichia coli O157:H7 into lettuce as part of the risk assessment responding to the E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks associated with leafy green produce from California. Vacuum cooling significantly increased the infiltration of E. coli O157:H7 into the lettuce tissue (2.65E+06 CFU/g) compared to the nonvacuumed condition (1.98E+05 CFU/g). A stringent surface sterilization and quadruple washing could not eliminate the internalized bacteria from lettuce. It appeared that vacuuming forcibly changed the structure of lettuce tissue such as the stomata, suggesting a possible mechanism of E. coli O157:H7 internalization. Vacuuming also caused a lower reduction rate of E. coli O157:H7 in stored lettuce leaves than that for the nonvacuumed condition.

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 2154
Author(s):  
Shamil Rafeeq ◽  
Reza Ovissipour

Removing foodborne pathogens from food surfaces and inactivating them in wash water are critical steps for reducing the number of foodborne illnesses. In this study we evaluated the impact of surfactants on enhancing nanobubbles’ efficacy on Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria innocua removal from spinach leaves. We evaluated the synergistic impact of nanobubbles and ultrasound on these two pathogens inactivation in the cell suspension. The results indicated that nanobubbles or ultrasound alone could not significantly reduce bacteria in cell suspension after 15 min. However, a combination of nanobubbles and ultrasonication caused more than 6 log cfu/mL reduction after 15 min, and 7 log cfu/mL reduction after 10 min of L. innocua and E. coli, respectively. Nanobubbles also enhanced bacterial removal from spinach surface in combination with ultrasonication. Nanobubbles with ultrasound removed more than 2 and 4 log cfu/cm2 of L. innocua and E. coli, respectively, while ultrasound alone caused 0.5 and 1 log cfu/cm2 of L. innocua and E. coli reduction, respectively. No reduction was observed in the solutions with PBS and nanobubbles. Adding food-grade surfactants (0.1% Sodium dodecyl sulfate-SDS, and 0.1% Tween 20), did not significantly enhance nanobubbles efficacy on bacterial removal from spinach surface.


2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (11) ◽  
pp. 2533-2540 ◽  
Author(s):  
HUA WANG ◽  
WEI LIANG ◽  
HAO FENG ◽  
YAGUANG LUO

Washing produce with sanitizing solutions is an important step in reducing microbial populations during postharvest handling. Little information exists regarding the effects of washing solution flow conditions on the efficacy of pathogen reduction during washing. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of washing conditions such as flow velocity, agitation rate, and contact time on the reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 populations from the surfaces of cantaloupe rind and cut apples. Top surfaces of cylindrical samples were spot inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 and treated with peroxyacetic acid (POAA; 80 mg/liter) solution under different flow velocities and agitation rates and with different washing modes. Test results indicate that the reduction rate of E. coli O157:H7 increased with the increase in flow velocity and agitation rate under the testing conditions. In a 3-min treatment in the flow-through chamber, the E. coli O157:H7 count reduction on cantaloupe rind and cup apples reached 2.5 and 2.3 log CFU/cm2, respectively, when the flow velocity increased from 0.0 to 0.8 m/min. Agitation conducted at the bottom of the treatment chamber reduced the E. coli O157:H7 population on cut apples by 1.2 log CFU/cm2 in 3 min, whereas in the treatment with the agitation over the top of the chamber, the survival count of E. coli O157:H7 was reduced by only 0.8 log CFU/cm2. The experimental data were used to fit four microbial reduction kinetic models. It was found that E. coli O157:H7 reduction from the fruit surfaces was best described by the Weibull model. These findings may be useful in designing produce wash systems for achieving enhanced pathogen reduction and improved produce quality and safety.


2001 ◽  
Vol 64 (10) ◽  
pp. 1489-1495 ◽  
Author(s):  
SARAH L. HOLLIDAY ◽  
ALAN J. SCOUTEN ◽  
LARRY R. BEUCHAT

Alfalfa seeds are sometimes subjected to a scarification treatment to enhance water uptake, which results in more rapid and uniform germination during sprout production. It has been hypothesized that this mechanical abrasion treatment diminishes the efficacy of chemical treatments used to kill or remove pathogenic bacteria from seeds. A study was done to compare the effectiveness of chlorine (20,000 ppm), H2O2 (8%), Ca(OH)2 (1%), Ca(OH)2 (1%) plus Tween 80 (1%), and Ca(OH)2 (1%) plus Span 20 (1%) treatments in killing Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 inoculated onto control, scarified, and polished alfalfa seeds obtained from two suppliers. The influence of the presence of organic material in the inoculum carrier on the efficacy of sanitizers was investigated. Overall, treatment with 1% Ca(OH)2 was the most effective in reducing populations of the pathogens. Reduction in populations of pathogens on seeds obtained from supplier 1 indicate that chemical treatments are less efficacious in eliminating the pathogens on scarified seeds compared to control seeds. However, the effectiveness of chemical treatment in removing Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 from seeds obtained from supplier 2 was not markedly affected by scarification or polishing. The presence of organic material in the inoculum carrier did not have a marked influence on the efficacy of chemicals in reducing populations of test pathogens. Additional lots of control, scarified, and polished alfalfa seeds of additional varieties need to be tested before conclusions can be drawn concerning the impact of mechanical abrasion on the efficacy of chemical treatment in removing or killing Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7.


2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 795-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörgen Fidjeland ◽  
Sven-Erik Svensson ◽  
Björn Vinnerås

Source-separated blackwater from low-flush toilets contains plant-available nutrients and can be used as a fertilizer. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact on pathogen inactivation when treating blackwater with urea and/or lime. Blackwater was spiked with Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157, Enterococcus faecalis, and Ascaris suum eggs, and treated with urea and/or lime in concentrations up to 0.1% w/w. The bottles were kept in a storage facility (manure slurry tank) for 102 days while monitoring the pathogen concentrations. The treatment time needed to meet the requirement for Salmonella and E. coli reduction could be reduced at least six-fold. The enterococci were more persistent, and only the highest treatment doses had a significantly higher inactivation than the controls. The Ascaris egg viability was only reduced by around 50%, so higher urea/lime doses and/or longer treatment times are required to fulfill the treatment requirements of 3 log10 reductions of parasite eggs.


2010 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 274-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. FRANZ ◽  
S. O. TROMP ◽  
H. RIJGERSBERG ◽  
H. J. van der FELS-KLERX

Fresh vegetables are increasingly recognized as a source of foodborne outbreaks in many parts of the world. The purpose of this study was to conduct a quantitative microbial risk assessment for Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes infection from consumption of leafy green vegetables in salad from salad bars in The Netherlands. Pathogen growth was modeled in Aladin (Agro Logistics Analysis and Design Instrument) using time-temperature profiles in the chilled supply chain and one particular restaurant with a salad bar. A second-order Monte Carlo risk assessment model was constructed (using @Risk) to estimate the public health effects. The temperature in the studied cold chain was well controlled below 5°C. Growth of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella was minimal (17 and 15%, respectively). Growth of L. monocytogenes was considerably greater (194%). Based on first-order Monte Carlo simulations, the average number of cases per year in The Netherlands associated the consumption leafy greens in salads from salad bars was 166, 187, and 0.3 for E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and L. monocytogenes, respectively. The ranges of the average number of annual cases as estimated by second-order Monte Carlo simulation (with prevalence and number of visitors as uncertain variables) were 42 to 551 for E. coli O157:H7, 81 to 281 for Salmonella, and 0.1 to 0.9 for L. monocytogenes. This study included an integration of modeling pathogen growth in the supply chain of fresh leafy vegetables destined for restaurant salad bars using software designed to model and design logistics and modeling the public health effects using probabilistic risk assessment software.


2011 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 1048-1053 ◽  
Author(s):  
JACOB L. LEMMONS ◽  
LISA M. LUCIA ◽  
MARGARET D. HARDIN ◽  
JEFFREY W. SAVELL ◽  
KERRI B. HARRIS

The translocation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 as well as the impact of water washing and partial or complete surface trimming as possible pathogen reduction strategies were evaluated for vacuum-packaged beef subprimals destined for nonintact use. Cap-on and cap-off beef top sirloin butts were inoculated with two levels of E. coli O157:H7: a high-inoculum level of approximately 104 CFU/cm2 and a low-inoculum level of approximately 102 CFU/cm2. Following inoculation, the subprimals were vacuum packaged and stored for 0, 14, or 28 days. Upon removal from storage, the following sites were evaluated: exterior of the bag, purge, the inoculation site on the subprimal, the area adjacent to the inoculation site, and the surface opposite from the inoculation site. The following treatments then were applied: water wash, water wash followed by full-surface trimming, water wash followed by partial-surface trimming, full-surface trimming, full-surface trimming followed by water wash, partial-surface trimming, and partial-surface trimming followed by water wash. For both high- and low-inoculated top sirloin butts, contamination of adjacent and opposite surfaces was found after vacuum packaging. Of the treatments applied, water washing alone was the least effective for both high- and low-inoculated subprimals. Full trimming, with or without a water wash, proved to be the most effective treatment used to reduce E. coli O157:H7 to nondetectable levels.


2008 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 2078-2081 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. F. MILLER ◽  
G. H. LONERAGAN ◽  
D. D. HARRIS ◽  
K. D. ADAMS ◽  
J. C. BROOKS ◽  
...  

A study was conducted to determine the impact of exposure to dust in the cattle load-out area in feedyards on pathogen contamination of cattle hides. A total of 250 cattle hides were sampled during summer and fall months, which are associated with elevated prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 in West Texas. Animals were removed from their home pens and restrained in a chute and sampled prior to exposure to dust generated as a result of a simulated loading exercise. The cattle hides were sampled again after exposure to the loading dust to determine total numbers of pathogens on cattle hides on leaving their home pen (before loading) and on cattle hides after exposure to the dust in the loading area. Air and dirt samples from the home pens and the cattle load-out area were also collected. The presence of E. coli O157 and Salmonella was determined in all the samples, and when a positive sample was identified, the total numbers of these bacteria present were enumerated. The total numbers of pathogens increased after dust exposure; Salmonella counts increased from 1.09 log most probable number (MPN)/cm2 to 1.74 log MPN/cm2 after exposure, and E. coli O157 counts increased from 0.80 to 2.35 log MPN/cm2 after sampling. E. coli O157 and Salmonella were recovered from the air samples during dust generation at 6.66 and 11.1%, respectively. Salmonella and E. coli O157 prevalence was not changed and was not associated with the exposure to the dust. Results indicate airborne dust generated as a result of cattle movement and loading could be an important determining factor in total numbers of pathogens recovered on cattle hides.


2017 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 1066-1071 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Yesil ◽  
David R. Kasler ◽  
En Huang ◽  
Ahmed E. Yousef

ABSTRACT Foodborne disease outbreaks associated with the consumption of fresh produce pose a threat to public health, decrease consumer confidence in minimally processed foods, and negatively impact the sales of these commodities. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of population size of inoculated pathogen on its inactivation by gaseous ozone treatment during vacuum cooling. Spinach leaves were spot inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 at approximate initial populations of 108, 107, and 105 CFU/g. Inoculated leaves were vacuum cooled (28.5 inHg; 4°C) in a custom-made vessel and then were subjected to a gaseous ozone treatment under the following conditions: 1.5 g of ozone per kg of gas mixture, vessel pressure at 10 lb/in2 gauge, 94 to 98% relative humidity, and 30 min of holding time at 9°C. Treatment of the leaves, having the aforementioned inocula, decreased E. coli populations by 0.2, 2.1, and 2.8 log CFU/g, respectively, compared with the inoculated untreated controls. Additionally, spinach leaves were inoculated at 1.4 × 103 CFU/g, which approximates natural contamination level, and the small populations remaining after ozone treatment were quantified using the most-probable-number (MPN) method. Vacuum and ozone sequential treatment decreased this E. coli O157:H7 population to <3 MPN/g (i.e., greater than 3-log reduction). Resulting log reductions were greater (P < 0.05) at the lower rather than the higher inoculum levels. In conclusion, treatment of spinach leaves with gaseous ozone is effective against pathogen loads comparable to those found in naturally contaminated fresh produce, but efficacy decreases as inoculum level increases.


2009 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 1392-1397 ◽  
Author(s):  
GUODONG ZHANG ◽  
LI MA ◽  
VANESSA H. PHELAN ◽  
MICHAEL P. DOYLE

The objectives of this research were to study transfer and control of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during simultaneous washing of inoculated and uninoculated lettuce pieces and to determine the efficacy of antimicrobial agents (peroxyacetic acid, mixed peracid, and sodium hypochlorite) on reducing the transfer of E. coli O157:H7 through processing water with or without organic load. Lettuce leaf pieces (5 by 5 cm) were inoculated with a five-strain mixture of green fluorescent protein–labeled E. coli O157:H7 at 5.6 log CFU per piece. One inoculated lettuce piece was added to five uninoculated leaves during washing. Peroxyacetic acid and mixed peracid were tested at 10, 20, and 30 ppm, and chlorine was tested at 30 and 50 ppm. No organic load (liquefied lettuce leaves) and 10% organic load in processing water were compared. Without organic load, peroxyacetic acid at 30 ppm, mixed peracid at 10, 20, and 30 ppm, and chlorine at 30 and 50 ppm all significantly reduced E. coli O157: H7 in processing water by 1.83, 1.73, 1.50, 1.83, 1.34, and 1.83 log CFU/ml, respectively, compared with washing with water alone. These antimicrobials at all concentrations tested also significantly reduced transfer of the bacteria from an inoculated leaf to uninoculated leaves in the processing water by 0.96 to 2.57 log CFU per piece. A 10% organic load in the processing water reduced efficacy of antimicrobial agents. In this contaminated water, peroxyacetic acid at 10 and 20 ppm and chlorine at 30 ppm produced effects not significantly different from those of water alone. Therefore, it is important to understand the impact of organic load when validating the effectiveness of antimicrobial treatments.


2013 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. HALLEWELL ◽  
L. R. BARBIERI ◽  
J. E. THOMAS ◽  
K. STANFORD ◽  
T. A. McALLISTER

Feeding corn dried distillers' grain with solubles (DDGS) has been linked to increased fecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in cattle. A study was conducted to compare the impact of three diets containing (dry matter basis) 40% corn DDGS, 40% wheat DDGS, or 20% corn and 20% wheat mixed DDGS to a standard barley grain finishing diet on fecal shedding in cattle challenged with a 1010 CFU mixture of four nalidixic acid–resistant E. coli O157:H7 strains. Rectal grab samples (n = 544) were collected over 70 days and screened for E. coli O157:H7 by direct plating and immunomagnetic bead separation. Feeding diets containing DDGS had no effect (P > 0.05) on the intensity or duration of fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 compared with the standard barley grain finishing diet.


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