Radiosensitivity of innocuous Listeria as a marker of Listeria monocytogenes in Spanish chorizo and the effect of irradiation on its sensory properties

Spanish sausage is a ready-to-eat meat product highly desired by consumers of sausages and meats. Its intense flavor and its different ways of consuming it place it in a privileged position, however, it is important to take into account the potentials risks that could have the product due to poor processing or contamination during and after the manufacturing process, especially microbiological, where one of the most important microorganisms due to its resistance and harmfulness is Listeria monocytogenes. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of radiation on L. innocua as a surrogate of L. monocytogenes and how it affects the sensory properties in the product. The physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the product were determined by measuring pH, water activity and natural contamination of the Spanish chorizo with L. monocytogenes. The survival of L. innocua as a surrogate of L. monocytogenes in the inoculated product was determined for a period of 11 days, stored under refrigeration conditions (4 ± 1^oC). The specific dosimetry for the product was carried out through tests performed in a ⁶⁰Co experimental irradiator, obtaining the required times for each dose, which were 0,5; 1,0; 2,0 and 3,0 kGy. The D₁₀ value was determined and the irradiation of the product, inoculated with L. innocua, with doses of 4D₁₀ and 5D₁₀ was carried out in order to evaluate the effect on the organoleptic characteristics of the irradiated product. A panel of 15 trained judges, through a triangular test at 0 and 7 days, performed the sensory evaluation. The values obtained for pH and aw were 4,5 and 0,8432 respectively. As for the initial contamination of L. monocytogenes in the product, the count had a result of <10 CFU/g in all tests performed. For the study of survival of L. innocua in the inoculated product, a concentration of 1,5 x 10² CFU/g was obtained as initial loading on day 0 and for day 11 the contamination was reduced to 5 x 10¹ CFU/g. From the dosimetric study, the positions of maximum and minimum radiation were obtained, with positions 2 and 5 respectively. The irradiation times were also established for the different doses used in this study, which ranged from approximately 40 to 242 minutes. The calculated D₁₀ value was 0,65 kGy for the product inoculated with L. innocua as a surrogate of L. monocytogenes. The results of the triangular test revealed significant differences at day 0 for the sample with a higher irradiation dose compared to the non-irradiated sample, while the one with the lowest dose did not show significant differences. The results of day 7 were the same for the 2 sets analyzed, which did not show significant differences between the samples, independent of irradiation dose. According to the results of the study, ionizing irradiation is a good treatment for products with high fat composition. By using an irradiation dose of less than 5 kGy, is possible to obtain a reduction of the microbiological contamination without affecting the sensory quality