Predictive model for growth of Clostridium botulinum from spores at temperatures applicable to cooling of cooked ground pork. (May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Juneja, Vijay K.; Sidhu, Gaganpreet; Xu, Xinran; Osoria, Marangeli; Glass, Kathleen A.; Schill, Kristin M.; Golden, Max C.; Schaffner, Donald W.; Kumar, Govindaraj D.; Shrestha, Subash; Singh, Manpreet; Mishra, Abhinav
• Is Part Of: Innovative food science & emerging technologies. Volume 77(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-05
• Subjects: Predictive model -- Clostridium botulinum -- Spores -- Cooling -- Foodborne pathogen -- Ground pork; Food -- Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Aliments -- Biotechnologie -- Périodiques; Food -- Biotechnology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 664.005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ifset.2022.102960
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1466-8564

Abstract

Abstract: Cooling deviations and temperature abuse are two main reasons leading to the risk of Clostridium botulinum outgrowth in cooked pork. The aim of this research was to create a model that could be used to estimate C. botulinum growth from spores in cooked pork at temperatures similar to those used to chill cooked pork in processing facilities and food establishments. A cocktail of proteolytic C. botulinum types A and B consisting of five strains per type were used to inoculate pork to a final spore concentration of approximately 2 log CFU/g and cooked to 71 °C to heat shock the spores and kill vegetative microbes. The growth of C. botulinum was established at constant storage temperatures from 10 to 46 °C. C. botulinum growth was also studied under dynamic temperature conditions with cooling set to start at 54.4 °C and end at 4.4 °C or 7.2 °C in monophasic or biphasic cooling profiles, respectively. Growth parameters were estimated using the Baranyi model as a primary model and growth rates were fitted using the modified Ratkowsky secondary model with respect to temperature. The R 2 values ranged from 0.7653 to 0.9995 indicating that the Baranyi primary model was well suited to the growth data. The modified Ratkowsky secondary model's R 2 was 0.9653 and its root mean square error (RMSE) was 0.0687. All 11 prediction error values computed were within the limit of acceptable prediction zone (−1.0 to 0.5) suggesting a good fit of the model. The predictive model can provide information for the safety of cooked pork exposed to longer chilling times or for customized process schedule development as cooling of larger diameter products presents a processing challenge in the meat process operations. Highlights: Maximum specific growth rates for Clostridium botulinum in pork were observed at temperatures ranging from 13 to 43 °C. The secondary Ratkowsky square root model fitted gave theoretical minimum and maximum temperature as 11.55 °C and 45.09 °C, respectively. The constant bacterial concentration for the 15 h biphasic cooling was consistent with the model prediction in dynamic model validation. All prediction error values fell within the safe zone, suggesting validness of the model.