scholarly journals Survival and growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on salad vegetables.

1993 ◽  
Vol 59 (7) ◽  
pp. 1999-2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
U M Abdul-Raouf ◽  
L R Beuchat ◽  
M S Ammar
2009 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 2038-2045 ◽  
Author(s):  
YAGUANG LUO ◽  
QIANG HE ◽  
JAMES L. McEVOY ◽  
WILLIAM S. CONWAY

This study investigated the effect of storage temperature and time on the survival and growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7, the growth of indigenous microorganisms, and the changes in product quality of packaged baby spinach. Commercial packages of spinach within 2 days of processing were cut open at one end, sprayed with fine mists of E. coli O157:H7 inoculum, resealed, and then stored at 1, 5, 8, and 12°C for 12 days until their labeled best-if-used-by dates. Microbial enumeration and product quality evaluation were conducted on day(s) 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 postinoculation. Spinach held at 12°C supported significant (P < 0.001) E. coli O157:H7 growth, with a 1.0-log CFU/g increase within 3 days postinoculation, which was followed by additional growth during continued storage. E. coli O157:H7 grew slowly when held at 8°C, with a significant (P < 0.01) level of growth reached after 6 days of storage. However, on products held at 1 and 5°C, E. coli O157:H7 populations declined significantly (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively) within 3 days of storage. Aerobic mesophilic bacteria, psychrotrophic bacteria, and yeast and mold populations increased significantly at all storage temperatures, with more growth on products held at elevated temperatures. Product quality scores remained high within the first 6 days of storage, with a sharp decline noted on samples held at 12°C on day 9. Results suggest that E. coli O157:H7 can grow significantly on commercially packaged spinach held at 8°C or above before significant product quality deterioration occurs.


1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 1098-1102 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. GURAYA ◽  
J. F. FRANK ◽  
A. N. HASSAN

The behavior of Escherichia coli O157:H7 inoculated in 10% rehydrated nonfat dry milk adjusted to pH levels between 3.8 and 5.4 with lactic acid, salt levels of 0 to 6%, and diacetyl levels of 0, 5, and 10 μg/g was determined at 4 and 12°C. Cell populations were determined by surface plating on tryptic soy agar after 7 and 35 days of incubation. Survival was also determined using retad cultured dairy products. E. coli O157:H7 did not survive in skim milk at pH 3.8 and was reduced by 3 log cycles at pH 4.1, regardless of salt, diacetyl, and temperature levels. At pH levels above 4.4, survival was observed at lower salt concentrations for up to 35 days at both 12 and 4°C. The organism grew (up to a 2.2-log increase) at pH 5.0 at 2% salt levels after 35 days of storage at 12°C but not at 4°C. Diacetyl at a concentration of 10 ppm had no effect on survival and growth. In all but one case, E. coli O157:H7 was inactivated in yogurt, sour cream, and buttermilk at a rate similar to or greater than what was consistent with the acidified skim milk data. Also consistent with the skim milk data, growth occurred in two of the three cottage cheese samples at 12°C after 7 days but not after 35 days or at 4°C, when a 1- to 2-log decline was observed.


1997 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 610-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
GUODONG WANG ◽  
TONG ZHAO ◽  
MICHAEL P. DOYLE

Escherichia coli O157:H7, which causes hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome, has been responsible for several outbreaks associated with consumption of unpasteurized and improperly processed pasteurized milk, and yogurt. Studies were conducted to determine the survival and growth characteristics of this pathogen in unpasteurized milk and pasteurized milk (3.5% fat, 2% fat, skim) at 5,8, 15, and 22°C for up to 28 days. Two levels of inocula (103 and 105 CFU/ml) of a mixture of five nalidixic acid-resistant E. coli O157:H7 strains were used. E. coli O157:H7 did not grow at 5°C and decreased by 1.6 to 2.0 log CFU/ml in 28 days. Growth occurred at 8°C, with an approximately 1- to 2-log CFU/ml increase within the first 4 days. About a 3- to 5-log CFU/ml increase in E. coli O157:H7 populations was observed at 15°C within the first 3 days. In 3 pasteurized milk samples, E. coli O157:H7 continued to grow to populations of greater than 1.0 × 108 CFU/ml at day 7 and remained constant during the remainder of the incubation period. At 22°C, the pH decreased rapidly to less than 4.0 within 4 days and E. coli O157:H7 decreased to undetectable populations within 14 days. E. coli O157:H7 grew more slowly (P < 0.01) in unpasteurized milk, which had a higher initial microbial population, than in pasteurized milks at 8, 15, or 22°C, likely because of antagonistic activity from preexisting bacteria. No significant differences (P> 0.05) in survival or growth of E. coli O157:H7 were observed among the pasteurized milk samples, regardless of fat concentration, at all temperatures throughout the study. The data indicate that temperature abuse during shipping and handling can result in significant growth of E. coli O157:H7. Holding milk at ≤5°C is recommended to prevent growth of this pathogen.


2004 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 2107-2116 ◽  
Author(s):  
MANAN SHARMA ◽  
GLENNER M. RICHARDS ◽  
LARRY R. BEUCHAT

Survival and growth of wild-type (EDL 933) and rpoS-deficient (FRIK 816-3) strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 after exposure to an alkaline cleaner for 2 min and inoculating into roast beef (pH 6.3) and hard salami (pH 4.9) at low (0.003 to 0.52 CFU/g) and high (0.69 to 31.5 CFU/g) populations were determined. Roast beef was stored at 4 and 12°C; salami was stored at 4, 12, and 20°C. At 4°C, untreated cells of both strains showed greater reductions in populations in salami than in roast beef during a 21-day storage period. Populations of treated and untreated cells recovered from roast beef and salami stored at 4°C on tryptic soy agar were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher than on sorbitol MacConkey agar, indicating that a portion of the cells was injured. Treated and untreated cells grew in roast beef at 12°C. Growth of treated cells of the FRIK 816-3 strain in roast beef at 12°C was significantly slower than that of the EDL 933 strain. Populations of both strains decreased at different rates in salami stored at different temperatures (20°C > 12°C > 4°C). E. coli O157:H7 strain EDL 933 grew more rapidly at 20°C in a slurry (pH 5.97) prepared from stored salami (17 days at 20°C) on which Penicillium chrysogenum had grown than in a slurry (5.23) prepared from salami showing no mold growth. Within 2 to 3 days, populations were ca. 3 log CFU/ml higher in slurry made from infected salami than in control salami. Results indicate that treatment of E. coli O157: H7 with an alkaline cleaner for 2 min does not impair resuscitation and growth of surviving cells in roast beef at 12°C. Cross protection of cells exposed to an alkaline cleaner against subsequent stress conditions imposed by roast beef and salami stored at 4°C was not evident in either of the test strains.


2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (7) ◽  
pp. 1288-1295 ◽  
Author(s):  
DIKE O. UKUKU ◽  
LIHAN HUANG ◽  
CHRISTOPHER SOMMERS

For health reasons, people are consuming fresh-cut fruits with or without minimal processing and, thereby, exposing themselves to the risk of foodborne illness if such fruits are contaminated with bacterial pathogens. This study investigated survival and growth parameters of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and aerobic mesophilic bacteria transferred from cantaloupe rind surfaces to fresh-cut pieces during fresh-cut preparation. All human bacterial pathogens inoculated on cantaloupe rind surfaces averaged ~4.8 log CFU/cm2, and the populations transferred to fresh-cut pieces before washing treatments ranged from 3 to 3.5 log CFU/g for all pathogens. A nisin-based sanitizer developed in our laboratory and chlorinated water at 1,000 mg/liter were evaluated for effectiveness in minimizing transfer of bacterial populations from cantaloupe rind surface to fresh-cut pieces. Inoculated and uninoculated cantaloupes were washed for 5 min before fresh-cut preparation and storage of fresh-cut pieces at 5 and 10°C for 15 days and at 22°C for 24 h. In fresh-cut pieces from cantaloupe washed with chlorinated water, only Salmonella was found (0.9 log CFU/g), whereas E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes were positive only by enrichment. The nisin-based sanitizer prevented transfer of human bacteria from melon rind surfaces to fresh-cut pieces, and the populations in fresh-cut pieces were below detection even by enrichment. Storage temperature affected survival and the growth rate for each type of bacteria on fresh-cut cantaloupe. Specific growth rates of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and L. monocytogenes in fresh-cut pieces were similar, whereas the aerobic mesophilic bacteria grew 60 to 80% faster and had shorter lag phases.


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