Influence of cooling rate on outgrowth of Clostridium perfringens spores in cooked ground beef

The ability of Clostridium perfringens spores to germinate and grow was studied to determine a safe cooling rate for cooked beef. Beef samples were inoculated with a cocktail of three strains of heat-shocked C. perfringens spores (NCTC 8238, NCTC 8239 and ATCC 10288), vacuum-packaged, and cooked in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of food protection 1994-12, Vol.57 (12), p.1063-1067
Main Authors: Juneja, V.K. (USDA, ARS, ERRC, Philadelphia, PA.), Snyder, O.P. Jr, Gygnarowicz-Provost, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
BACTERIA
Biological and medical sciences
CARNE DE RES
CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS
ENFRIAMIENTO
ESPORAS
Food industries
Food microbiology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
INNOCUITE DES PRODUITS ALIMENTAIRES
INOCUIDAD ALIMENTARIA
REFROIDISSEMENT
SPORE
TEMPERATURA
TEMPERATURE
VIANDE BOVINE
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Summary:The ability of Clostridium perfringens spores to germinate and grow was studied to determine a safe cooling rate for cooked beef. Beef samples were inoculated with a cocktail of three strains of heat-shocked C. perfringens spores (NCTC 8238, NCTC 8239 and ATCC 10288), vacuum-packaged, and cooked in a stirred water bath to an internal temperature of 60 degrees C in 1 h. Then, samples were cooled through the temperature range of 54.4 degrees C to 7.2 degrees C at rates varying from 6 to 18 h. Samples were removed at various times during cooling to determine if the spores had germinated and multiplied. The samples were plated on tryptose-sulfite-cycloserine agar and incubated anaerobically at 37 degrees C for 48 h. Minimal growth was observed with cooling periods of up to 15 h. However, with the time to achieve 7.2 degrees C extended to 18 h, C. perfringens spores germinated and grew from an inoculum of approximately 1.5 log(10) to about 6.0 log(10) CFU/g. This study indicated that pasteurized cooked beef must be cooled to 7.2 degrees C in 15 h or less to prevent C. perfringens foodborne disease outbreaks
ISSN:0362-028X
1944-9097
DOI:10.4315/0362-028X-57.12.1063