Evaluation of the efficacy of multiple physical, biological and natural antimicrobial interventions for control of pathogenic Escherichia coli on beef

Stratakos, Alexandros Ch; Grant, Irene R.

Abstract

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd Antimicrobial effects of multiple physical, biological and natural interventions on pathogenic Escherichia coli in raw beef were assessed. A cocktail of E. coli strains was inoculated onto gamma-irradiated beef and enumerated immediately after each intervention and during storage at 4 °C for 7 days. Of the physical interventions, silver-containing antimicrobial packaging and ozone gas treatment did not show significant antimicrobial effects, however cold plasma treatment reduced E. coli levels by 0.9 and 1.82 log10 CFU/cm2 after 2 and 5 min treatments, respectively. A phage cocktail reduced E. coli counts by 0.63 and 1.16 log10 CFU/g after 24 h storage at 4 and 12 °C, respectively. Of the natural interventions, vinegar and lactic acid (5%) washes for 5 min caused reductions of ∼1 log10 CFU/g immediately after treatment, whereas lactoferrin and nisin treatments, separately or in combination, had insignificant antimicrobial effects. Nanoemulsions containing carvacrol or thyme essential oils caused immediate E. coli reductions of 1.41 and 1.36 log10 CFU/g, respectively, plus a progressive reduction in viable numbers during storage at 4 °C. Our findings suggest that cold plasma, bacteriophages, vinegar, lactic acid, or carvacrol and thyme essential oil nanoemulsions could potentially be of use to the beef industry for controlling pathogenic E. coli contamination.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 25, 2018
• Online Publication Date: May 26, 2018
• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jun 17, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 17, 2019
• Journal: Food Microbiology
• Print ISSN: 0740-0020
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 76
• Pages: 209-218
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2018.05.011
• Keywords: Escherichia coli O157:H7; Decontamination; Beef; Cold plasma; Bacteriophages essential oil nanoemulsions
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1493944
• Publisher URL: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2018.05.011
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published version is available here: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2018.05.011.
• Contract Date: Jun 17, 2019