Interaction of ionizing radiation with other physical and chemical factors in improving the safety and storage stability of foods

Experiments on the preservation of a vacuum packed, ready to fry, chilled meat product (tenderloin rolls), using the combination of a 2 kGy radiation dose with a reduction in pH and/or a reduction in water activity, and on the fate of Listeria monocytogenes in this product were carried out. Irradiation caused a 1-2 decimal reduction in the aerobic viable cell counts, and a 4 decimal reduction in the Enterobacteriaceae counts. Lactic acid bacteria appeared to be more resistant, and were the dominant component of the microflora during chilled storage. Combination treatments prevented growth of Enterobacteriaceae, even at 10 deg. C refrigeration. The microbial stability of the chilled product at 2 deg. C was extended for at least 5 weeks by the triple combination of a dose of 2 kGy, pH reduction to approximately 5.6 and water activity reduction to about 0.960. The combined preserved product proved to be acceptable, both sensorially and from the point of view of the thiobarbituric acid values. The ascorbic acid (as the acidulant) and Na lactate (as the humectant) additives considerably reduced the radiolytic loss of thiamine. The Listeria inoculum survived well in the chilled, non-irradiated product, but diminished by 2 log cycles as a result of irradiation; it tended to decrease even further during post-irradiation storage. In model studies, the radiation survivors of L. monocytogenes showed significantly increased salt and pH sensitivities and an increased minimum temperature for growth in tryptic phosphate broth media, but were less sensitized when recovering in brain heat infusion broth media. A reduction in pH resulted in an increase in not only the apparent lag phase of growth of this test organism but also in the lag phase ratios between the irradiated and non-irradiated populations. The predictive mathematical equations that describe the combined effect of hydrogen ion and salt concentrations on the growth parameters at 30 deg. C were constructed for qualitative assessment of the interactions. The results demonstrated that combinations of a sensorially acceptable radurization dose and further anti-microbial stress factors may not only extent the shelf-life of specific refrigerated products such as those studied but also improve the microbiological safety, for example, in the event of temperature abuse. The results demonstrated that combining individually ineffective environmental stresses with low dose irradiation also efficiently controls the growth of L. monocytogenes. (author)