Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 after Freezing and Thawing in Ground Beef Patties

1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 1181-1183 ◽  
Author(s):  
JAY R. SAGE ◽  
STEVEN C. INGRAM
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Microwave Heating ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Strain Atcc ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Population Decrease ◽  
Beef Patties ◽  
Recovered Strain ◽  
Agar Method

Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains QA 326, and ATCC 43889,43894, and 43895 after freezing (−20°C, 24 h) and thawing (4°C for 12 h, 23°C for 3 h, or microwave heating of 700 W for 120 s) in ground beef patties was determined by reference most probable number (MPN), hydrophobic grid membrane filter SD-39 agar, and sorbitol MacConkey agar (SMA) spread-plating methods. Populations decreased from 0.62 to 2.52 log10 CFU/g, with the extent varying significantly by strain. Strain QA 326 populations almost always decreased the most, up to 1.87 log10 CFU/g more than the least sensitive strain. Microwave heating was the most lethal thawing treatment for strain QA 326, and 4°C thawing was the most lethal treatment for strain ATCC 43894. Thawing treatments varied in relative lethality for the other two strains. For strain QA 326 (4°C and microwave thaw treatments) and strain ATCC 43889 (4 and 23°C thawing), the enumeration method significantly affected a population decrease. The SD-39 agar method best recovered strain QA 326 while the SD-39 agar method and the reference MPN method best recovered strain ATCC 43889 after 4 and 23°C thawing, respectively. The greatest difference in population decrease measured by any two methods was 0.58 log10 CFU/g. Results showed (i) a wide range in freeze-thaw sensitivity among E. coli O157:H7 strains, (ii) no thawing method had consistently and significantly greater lethality, and (iii) the reference MPN, SD-39 agar, and SMA methods differed little in ability to enumerate E. coli O157:H7.

Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Ground-Beef Patties during Storage at 2, −2, 15 and then −2°C, and −20°C†

1999 ◽  
Vol 62 (11) ◽  
pp. 1243-1247 ◽  
Author(s):  
SUSAN E. ANSAY ◽  
KIM A. DARLING ◽  
CHARLES W. KASPAR
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Frozen Storage ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Plate Count ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Control Strain ◽  
Single Strain ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Beef Patties ◽  
Significant Difference

The survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and of a nonpathogenic control strain of E. coli was monitored in raw ground beef that was stored at 2°C for 4 weeks, −2°C for 4 weeks, 15°C for 4 h and then −2°C for 4 weeks, and −20°C. Irradiated ground beef was inoculated with one E. coli control strain or with a four-strain cocktail of E. coli O157:H7 (ca. 105 CFU/g), formed into patties (30 to 45 g), and stored at the appropriate temperature. The numbers of the E. coli control strain decreased by 1.4 log10 CFU/g, and pathogen numbers declined 1.9 log10 CFU/g when patties were stored for 4 weeks at 2°C. When patties were stored at −2°C for 4 weeks, the numbers of the E. coli control strain and the serotype O157:H7 strains decreased 2.8 and 1.5 log10 CFU/g, respectively. Patties stored at 15°C for 4 h prior to storage at −2°C for 4 weeks resulted in 1.6 and 2.7 log10–CFU/g reduction in the numbers of E. coli and E. coli O157:H7, respectively. Storage of retail ground beef at 15°C for 4 h (tempering) did not result in increased numbers of colony forming units per gram, as determined with violet red bile, MRS lactobacilli, and plate-count agars. Frozen storage (−20°C) of ground-beef patties that had been inoculated with a single strain of E. coli resulted in approximately a 1 to 2 log10–CFU/g reduction in the numbers of the control strain and individual serotype O157:H7 strains after 1 year. There was no significant difference between the survival of the control strain and the O157:H7 strains, nor was there a difference between O157:H7 strains. These data demonstrate that tempering of ground-beef patties prior to low-temperature storage accelerated the decline in the numbers of E. coli O157:H7.

Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Ground Beef by Single-Cycle and Multiple-Cycle High-Pressure Treatments

2008 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 811-815 ◽  
Author(s):  
PILAR MORALES ◽  
JAVIER CALZADA ◽  
MARTA ÁVILA ◽  
MANUEL NUÑEZ
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
High Pressure ◽  
Shear Force ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Single Cycle ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Beef Patties ◽  
Texture Parameters ◽  
Multiple Cycle

The effect of single- and multiple-cycle high-pressure treatments on the survival of Escherichia coli CECT 4972, a strain belonging to the O157:H7 serotype, in ground beef was investigated. Beef patties were inoculated with 107 CFU/g E. coli O157:H7, and held at 4°C for 20 h before high-pressure treatments. Reduction of the E. coli O157:H7 population by single-cycle treatments at 400 MPa and 12°C ranged from 0.82 log CFU/g for a 1-min cycle to 4.39 log CFU/g for a 20-min cycle. Multiple-cycle treatments were very effective, with four 1-min cycles at 400 MPa and 12°C reducing the E. coli O157:H7 population by 4.38 log CFU/g, and three 5-min cycles by 4.96 log CFU/g. The color parameter L* increased significantly with high-pressure treatments in the interior and the exterior of beef patties, whereas a* decreased in the interior, and b* increased in the exterior—changes that might diminish consumer acceptance of the product. Kramer shear force and energy were generally higher in pressurized than in control ground beef. Maximum values for these texture parameters, which corresponded to tougher patties, were reached after one 10-min cycle in the case of single-cycle treatments or two 5-min cycles in the case of multiple-cycle treatments. High-pressure treatments had no significant effect on Warner-Bratzler shear force.

Heat Resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a Nutrient Medium and in Ground Beef Patties as Influenced by Storage and Holding Temperatures

1996 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 230-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIMOTHY C. JACKSON ◽  
MARGARET D. HARDIN ◽  
GARY R. ACUFF
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Heat Resistance ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Potential Temperature ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Commercial Preparation ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Beef Patties

Stationary-phase cultures of Escherichia coli O157:H7 were inoculated into tryptic soy broth, sealed in vials, and stored at −18°C for 1, 8, and 15 days, or 3 or 15°C for 3, 6, and 9 h. Thermal resistance was determined at 55°C. Each storage treatment was repeated with additional holding at 23 or 30°C for 1, 2, 3, or 4 h prior to heating to simulate potential temperature abuse during handling. Cultures under treatments enabling the growth of E. coli O157:H7 were generally more heat sensitive than those held at temperatures which restricted growth or enabled growth to stationary phase. Cultures stored frozen (−18°C) without holding at elevated temperatures had greater heat resistance than those stored under refrigeration (3°C) or at 15°C. Subsequent holding of frozen cultures at 23 or 30°C resulted in a decrease in heat resistance. To determine whether these responses would be observed under typical commercial preparation procedures, ground beef patties were inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 and stored at 3 or 15°C for 9 h or at −18°C for 8 d and then held at 21 or 30°C for 0 or 4 h. Patties were grilled to an internal temperature of 54.4°C (130°F), 62.8°C (145°F), or 68.3°C (155°F). Cultures were most resistant in frozen patties, while cultures in patties stored at 15°C were the most heat sensitive. Holding patties at 21 or 30°C prior to grilling resulted in increased sensitivity. Storage and holding temperatures similar to those encountered in food service may influence the ability of E. coli O157:H7 to survive heat treatments.

Enumeration of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Outbreak-Associated Beef Patties

2016 ◽  
Vol 79 (7) ◽  
pp. 1266-1268 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALEXANDER GILL ◽  
GEORGE HUSZCZYNSKI
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Beef Patties ◽  
Selective Agar ◽  
Agar Media

ABSTRACT An outbreak of five cases of Escherichia coli O157 infection that occurred in Canada in 2012 was linked to frozen beef patties seasoned with garlic and peppercorn. Unopened retail packs of beef patties from the implicated production lot were recovered and analyzed to enumerate E. coli O157, other E. coli strains, and total coliforms. E. coli O157 was not recovered by direct enumeration on selective agar media. E. coli O157 in the samples was estimated at 3.1 most probable number per 140 g of beef patty, other E. coli was 11 CFU/g, and coliforms were 120 CFU/g. These results indicate that the presence of E. coli O157 in ground beef at levels below 0.1 CFU/g may cause outbreaks. However, the roles of temperature abuse, undercooking, and cross-contamination in amplifying the risk are unknown.

Effects of Vacuum or Modified Atmosphere Packaging in Combination with Irradiation for Control of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Ground Beef Patties

2011 ◽  
Vol 74 (12) ◽  
pp. 2018-2023 ◽  
Author(s):  
LI L. KUDRA ◽  
JOSEPH G. SEBRANEK ◽  
JAMES S. DICKSON ◽  
AUBREY F. MENDONCA ◽  
ELAINE M. LARSON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Modified Atmosphere Packaging ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Vacuum Packaging ◽  
Modified Atmosphere ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Refrigerated Storage ◽  
High Co2 ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Beef Patties

The efficacy of controlling Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef patties by combining irradiation with vacuum packaging or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) was investigated. Fresh ground beef patties were inoculated with a five-strain cocktail of E. coli O157:H7 at 5 log CFU/g. Single patties, packaged with vacuum or high-CO2 MAP (99.6% CO2 plus 0.4% CO), were irradiated at 0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 kGy. The D10-value for this pathogen was 0.47 ± 0.02 kGy in vacuum and 0.50 ± 0.02 kGy in MAP packaging. Irradiation with 1.5 kGy reduced E. coli O157:H7 by 3.0 to 3.3 log, while 0.5 and 1.0 kGy achieved reductions of 0.7 to 1.0, and 2.0 to 2.2 log, respectively. After irradiation, the numbers of survivors of this pathogen on beef patties in refrigerated storage (4°C) did not change significantly for 6 weeks. Temperature abuse (at 25°C) resulted in growth in vacuum-packaged patties treated with 0.5 and 1.5 kGy, but no growth in MAP packages. This study demonstrated that combining irradiation with MAP was similar in effectiveness to irradiation with vacuum packaging for control of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef patties during refrigerated storage. However, high-CO2 MAP appeared to be more effective after temperature abuse.

Effectiveness of Two Cooking Systems in Destroying Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes in Ground Beef Patties

2000 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
pp. 894-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELAINE M. D'SA ◽  
MARK A. HARRISON ◽  
SCOTT E. WILLIAMS ◽  
MARC H. BROCCOLI
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Target Temperature ◽  
Internal Temperature ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Beef Patties ◽  
Textural Quality ◽  
Rapid Temperature

A rapid, high-temperature double-sided grilling–broiling (DGB) system was compared to a single-sided broiling (SSB) system for cooking of foodservice ground beef patties to reduce microbial numbers and maintain textural quality. Patties (110g) containing either Escherichia coli O157:H7 or Listeria monocytogenes (106–7 CFU/g) were cooked to target internal temperatures of 60 or 68°C on each cooking system and immediately removed from the grills without the additional holding time at 60 or 68°C that is recommended for foodservice cooking of ground beef patties. Actual final internal temperature attained, position on the grill, degree of doneness, cooking time, after-cook weight, texture characteristics, and bacterial counts of the patties were monitored. The DGB reduced E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes populations in ground beef patties by 5.7 log10 and 5.4 log10 CFU/g, respectively, when cooked to a target temperature of 60°C (actual final internal temperature of 71.2°C) and by 6.1 log10 and 5.6 log10 CFU/g, respectively, when cooked to a target temperature of 68°C (actual final internal temperature of 75.8°C). The SSB reduced E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes populations by 1.3 log10 and 1.8 log10 CFU/g, respectively, when cooked to a target temperature of 60°C (actual final internal temperature of 62.7°C) and by 2.9 log10 and 3.6 log10 CFU/g, respectively, when cooked to a target temperature of 68°C (actual final internal temperature of 69.3°C). The DGB system effected a higher, more rapid temperature increase in patties cooked to either target temperature compared to the SSB system. This higher temperature was more effective in destroying pathogens in beef patties. Texture analyses determined that patties cooked on the DGB system had significantly higher values for springiness, adhesiveness, and product height as compared to the SSB system, and patties cooked on either system had significantly higher hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and product height values at the target temperature of 68°C as compared to 60°C.

Fate of Field-Isolated Escherichia coli O157 in Ground Beef at Different Storage Temperatures†

2002 ◽  
Vol 65 (7) ◽  
pp. 1106-1109 ◽  
Author(s):  
GENEVIEVE A. BARKOCY-GALLAGHER ◽  
DONG-HYUN KANG ◽  
MOHAMMAD KOOHMARAIE
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Viable Cell ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Strain Atcc ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cell Numbers ◽  
Beef Carcasses ◽  
Actual Growth ◽  
Storage Temperatures

The survival of six Escherichia coli O157 strains, including five strains recently isolated from beef carcasses and strain ATCC 43895, was evaluated at 0, 1, 7, and 14 days in ground beef held at −20, 1, 4, and 7°C. Only small losses in cell numbers occurred at −20 and 1°C; in general, cell numbers decreased during the first day of storage and then remained unchanged through day 14. At −20°C, statistically significant reductions in cell numbers were observed only for strains 55AC1 and 299AB3 due to greater losses in the first day. At 1°C, strain 131AC1 did not decrease in cell numbers during the first day of storage, but both this strain and strain 55AC1 experienced statistically significant reductions in viable cell numbers by day 14, primarily due to losses after day 7. At 4°C, after an initial loss of cell numbers for four strains, minor increases were observed for all six strains by day 14. The differences were statistically significant for strains 114AC1, 299AB3, and ATCC 43895, but were small enough to question whether they refect actual growth. When the inoculated ground beef was stored at 7°C for 14 days, growth of all six strains was statistically significant, with populations increasing between 0.9 and 1.5 log10 CFU/g. This study demonstrates that there are small differences in the abilities of various E. coli O157 strains to survive and sometimes grow in fresh ground beef at cold storage temperatures, but overall these differences do not appear to be meaningful. The differences cannot be attributed to recency of isolation, since strain ATCC 43895 behaved similarly to recently isolated strains. Storage temperatures of 4°C or below limited growth of E. coli O157 isolates, but did not have a noteworthy effect on survival.

Incidence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Frozen Beef Patties Produced over an 8-Hour Shift†

2002 ◽  
Vol 65 (9) ◽  
pp. 1363-1370 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. PAYTON PRUETT ◽  
TIMOTHY BIELA ◽  
CHARLES P. LATTUADA ◽  
PETER M. MROZINSKI ◽  
W. MARK BARBOUR ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Plate Count ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Beef Patties ◽  
Entry Points ◽  
Positive Results

A ground beef patty processor detected Escherichia coli O157:H7 in five production lots during routine testing with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. This finding stimulated research to determine the incidence and potential entry points of the pathogen during processing. One of these lots (53,960 kg) was divided into 71 pallets (760 kg each) of food service ground beef patties. Ten cartons (19 kg each) were removed from each pallet, for a total of 710 cartons. Four patties were taken from each carton and subdivided to provide comparable samples for E. coli O157:H7 analyses by three different laboratories. Two laboratories employed different immunoassay tests, and one used PCR to screen samples. One sample set was analyzed for aerobic plate, coliform, and E. coli Biotype I counts to determine if any relationship existed between these microbial groups and the incidence of E. coli O157:H7. For 73 samples, presumptive positive results for E. coli O157:H7 were obtained by one or more methods. For 48 of these 73 samples, positive results for the pathogen were culture confirmed. The largest number (29) of culture-confirmed positive E. coli O157:H7 results were detected by PCR. Most positive results were obtained during a short segment of processing. All culture-confirmed E. coli O157:H7 strains were further characterized by two genetic subtyping techniques, resulting in two to four different patterns, depending on the subtyping procedure employed. For any sample tested, the aerobic plate count was <3.0 log CFU/g, and coliform and E. coli Biotype I counts were ≤1.00 log CFU/g. The results of this study suggest that most positive samples were associated with a contaminated batch of raw material introduced just before the 1725- to 1844-h processing segment. These results also indicate that more aggressive sampling plans and genetic screening technologies such as PCR may be used to better detect low levels of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef products.

scholarly journals Lessons from a large outbreak of Escherichia coli O157[ratio ]H7 infections: insights into the infectious dose and method of widespread contamination of hamburger patties

1999 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. TUTTLE ◽  
T. GOMEZ ◽  
M. P. DOYLE ◽  
J. G. WELLS ◽  
T. ZHAO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Strong Argument ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
Infectious Dose ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Beef Patties ◽  
Large Outbreak ◽  
Microbiological Testing

Between November 1992 and February 1993, a large outbreak of Escherichia coli O157[ratio ]H7 infections occurred in the western USA and was associated with eating ground beef patties at restaurants of one fast-food chain. Restaurants that were epidemiologically linked with cases served patties produced on two consecutive dates; cultures of recalled ground beef patties produced on those dates yielded E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 strains indistinguishable from those isolated from patients, confirming the vehicle of illness. Seventy-six ground beef patty samples were cultured quantitatively for E. coli O157[ratio ]H7. The median most probable number of organisms was 1·5 per gram (range, <0·3–15) or 67·5 organisms per patty (range, <13·5–675). Correlation of the presence of E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 with other bacterial indicators yielded a significant association between coliform count and the presence of E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 (P=0·04). A meat traceback to investigate possible sources of contamination revealed cattle were probably initially colonized with E. coli O157[ratio ]H7, and that their slaughter caused surface contamination of meat, which once combined with meat from other sources, resulted in a large number of contaminated ground beef patties. Microbiological testing of meat from lots consumed by persons who became ill was suggestive of an infectious dose for E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 of fewer than 700 organisms. These findings present a strong argument for enforcing zero tolerance for this organism in processed food and for markedly decreasing contamination of raw ground beef. Process controls that incorporate microbiological testing of meat may assist these efforts.

Validation of Time and Temperature Values as Critical Limits for the Control of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during the Production of Fresh Ground Beef

2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 1978-1982 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. MANN ◽  
M. M. BRASHEARS
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Hazard Analysis ◽  
Control Point ◽  
Ground Beef ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Critical Control Point ◽  
Critical Limits

In order to provide beef processors with valuable data to validate critical limits set for temperature during grinding, a study was conducted to determine Escherichia coli O157:H7 growth at various temperatures in raw ground beef. Fresh ground beef samples were inoculated with a cocktail mixture of streptomycin-resistant E. coli O157:H7 to facilitate recovery in the presence of background flora. Samples were held at 4.4, 7.2, and 10°C, and at room temperature (22.2 to 23.3°C) to mimic typical processing and holding temperatures observed in meat processing environments. E. coli O157:H7 counts were determined by direct plating onto tryptic soy agar with streptomycin (1,000 μg/ml), at 2-h intervals over 12 h for samples held at room temperature. Samples held under refrigeration temperatures were sampled at 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. Less than one log of E. coli O157:H7 growth was observed at 48 h for samples held at 10°C. Samples held at 4.4 and 7.2°C showed less than one log of E. coli O157:H7 growth at 72 h. Samples held at room temperature showed no significant increase in E. coli O157:H7 counts for the first 6 h, but increased significantly afterwards. These results illustrate that meat processors can utilize a variety of time and temperature combinations as critical limits in their hazard analysis critical control point plans to minimize E. coli O157:H7 growth during the production and storage of ground beef.

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