Preparation and validation of a growth model for Bacillus cereus: the effects of temperature, pH, sodium chloride and carbon dioxide

Effects of carbon dioxide and oxygen on the growth rate of various food spoilage bacteria

The growth of six bacterial species (Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Bacillus weihenstephanensis, Bacillus cereus, Paenibacillus spp., Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Pseudomonas fragi) was studied in various gas compositions. Growth curves were obtained at various oxygen concentrations (between 0.1 and 21%), or various carbon dioxide concentrations (between 0 and 100%). Decreasing the O₂ concentration from 21% to about 3-5% has no effect on the bacterial growth rates, which are only affected by low oxygen levels. For each strain studied, the growth rate decreased linearly with carbon dioxide concentration, except for L. mesenteroides which remained insensible to this gas. Conversely, the most sensitive strain was totally inhibited by 50% of carbon dioxide in the gas phase at 8 °C. Predictive models were fitted, and the parameters characterizing the inhibitory effect of these two gases were estimated. This study provides new tools to help the food industry design suitable packaging for MAP storage.

Lead biosorption efficiency of Levilactobacillus brevis MZ384011 and Levilactobacillus brevis MW362779: A response surface based approach

Lead (Pb) is a substantial contaminant in the environment and a potent toxin for living organisms. Current study describes probiotic characteristics of Pb-biosorbing lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and response surface methodology (RSM) based optimization of physical conditions for maximum Pb biosorption. A total of 18 LAB, isolated from carnivore feces (n = 8) and human breast milk (n = 9), along with one reference strain Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC4356 were included in the study. Pb biosorption was strain specific. Eight strains, demonstrating ≥ 70 % lead biosorption, were selected for further testing. The lactobacillus-Pb complex was found to be stable and strains had a negative surface charge. The strains displayed good probiotic properties with the survival rate of 71-90 % in simulated gastric environment, 36-69 % in intestinal condition (1.8 % bile salts) and 55-72 % hydrophobicity. On the basis of excellent probiotic ability, Levilactobacillus brevis MZ384011 and Levilactobacillus brevis MW362779 were selected for optimization of physical conditions of Pb biosorption through RSM. Maximum biosorption was observed at pH 6 in 60 min at a cell density of 1 g/L. L. brevis MZ384011 and L. brevis MW362779 are recommended for experimentation on Pb toxicity amelioration and safety evaluation in in-vivo setting.

Sodium Chloride Does Not Ensure Microbiological Safety of Foods: Cases and Solutions

Addition of salt or salt-containing water to food is one of the oldest and most effective preservation methods in history; indeed, salt-cured foods are generally recognized as microbiologically safe due to their high salinity. However, a number of microbiological risks remain. The microbiological hazards and risks associated with salt-cured foods must be addressed more in-depth as they are likely to be underestimated by previous studies. This review examined a number of scientific reports and articles about the microbiological safety of salt-cured foods, which included salted, brined, pickled, and/or marinated vegetables, meat, and seafood. The following subjects are covered in order: (1) clinical cases and outbreaks attributed to salt-cured foods; (2) the prevalence of foodborne pathogens in such foods; (3) the molecular, physiological, and virulent responses of the pathogens to the presence of NaCl in both laboratory media and food matrices; (4) the survival and fate of microorganisms in salt-cured foods (in the presence/absence of additional processes); and (5) the interaction between NaCl and other stressors in food processes (e.g., acidification, antimicrobials, drying, and heating). The review provides a comprehensive overview of potentially hazardous pathogens associated with salt-cured foods and suggests further research into effective intervention techniques that will reduce their levels in the food chain.

Rethinking Tertiary Models: Relationships between Growth Parameters of Bacillus cereus Strains

The maximum specific growth rates of 12 strains, pair-wise belonging to six groups of Bacillus cereus sensu lato, were fitted against temperature by a reparametrized version of the model of Ratkowsky et al. (1983). This way, the interpretation of the new parameter set was similar to that of the cardinal-values-model of Rosso and Robinson (2001), both models including the minimum, optimum and maximum temperatures for growth as well as a fourth parameter scaling along the dependent variable. The modularity of the reparametrized version of the Ratkowsky model was utilized to show a so-far undetected relationship between this scaling parameter and the cardinal temperatures, which linked even distant (e.g., mesophilic and psychotropic) strains of B. cereus. We propose that the name “tertiary modeling” should be used for investigations like ours, as logically derived from the concepts of “primary” and “secondary” modeling. Such tertiary models may reveal biological relationships between kinetic parameters within a group of strains. It can also be used to create an overarching predictive model for mixed cultures, when different strains grow together but independently of each other.

From Culture-Medium-Based Models to Applications to Food: Predicting the Growth of B. cereus in Reconstituted Infant Formulae

Predictive models of the growth of foodborne organisms are commonly based on data generated in laboratory medium. It is a crucial question how to apply the predictions to realistic food scenarios. A simple approach is to assume that the bias factor, i.e., the ratio between the maximum specific growth rate in culture medium and the food in question is constant in the region of interest of the studied environmental variables. In this study, we investigate the validity of this assumption using two well-known link functions, the square-root and the natural logarithm, both having advantageous properties when modeling the variation of the maximum specific growth rate with temperature. The main difference between the two approaches appears in terms of the respective residuals as the temperature decreases to its minimum. The model organism was Bacillus cereus. Three strains (B594, B596, and F4810/72) were grown in Reconstituted Infant Formulae, while one of them (F4810/72) was grown also in culture medium to calculate the bias factor. Their growth parameters were estimated using viable count measurements at temperatures ranging from 12 to 25°C. We utilized the fact that, if the bias factor is independent of the temperature, then the minimum growth temperature parameter of the square-root model of Ratkowsky et al. (1982) is the same for culture medium and food. We concluded, supported also by mathematical analysis, that the Ratkowsky model works well but its rearrangement for the natural logarithm of the specific growth rate is more appropriate for practical regression. On the other hand, when analyzing mixed culture data, available in the ComBase database, we observed a trend different from the one generated by pure cultures. This suggests that the identity of the strains dominating the growth of mixed cultures depends on the temperature. Such analysis can increase the accuracy of predictive models, based on culture medium, to food scenarios, bringing significant saving for the food industry.

Modeling carbon dioxide effect in a controlled atmosphere and its interactions with temperature and pH on the growth of L. monocytogenes and P. fluorescens

The effect of carbon dioxide, temperature, and pH on growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas fluorescens was studied, following a protocol to monitor microbial growth under a constant gas composition. In this way, the CO₂ dissolution didn't modify the partial pressures in the gas phase. Growth curves were acquired at different temperatures (8, 12, 22 and 37 °C), pH (5.5 and 7) and CO₂ concentration in the gas phase (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100% of the atmospheric pressure, and over 1 bar). These three factors greatly influenced the growth rate of L. monocytogenes and P. fluorescens, and significant interactions have been observed between the carbon dioxide and the temperature effects. Results showed no significant effect of the CO₂ concentration at 37 °C, which may be attributed to low CO2 solubility at high temperature. An inhibitory effect of CO₂ appeared at lower temperatures (8 and 12 °C). Regardless of the temperature, the gaseous CO₂ is sparingly soluble at acid pH. However, the CO₂ inhibition was not significantly different between pH 5.5 and pH 7. Considering the pKa of the carbonic acid, these results showed the dissolved carbon under HCO₃^- form didn't affect the bacterial inhibition. Finally, a global model was proposed to estimate the growth rate vs. CO₂ concentration in the aqueous phase. This dissolved concentration is calculated according to the physical equations related to the CO₂ equilibriums, involving temperature and pH interactions. This developed model is a new tool available to manage the food safety of MAP.

Variability of rRNA Operon Copy Number and Growth Rate Dynamics of Bacillus Isolated from an Extremely Oligotrophic Aquatic Ecosystem

The ribosomal RNA (rrn) operon is a key suite of genes related to the production of protein synthesis machinery and thus to bacterial growth physiology. Experimental evidence has suggested an intrinsic relationship between the number of copies of this operon and environmental resource availability, especially the availability of phosphorus (P), because bacteria that live in oligotrophic ecosystems usually have few rrn operons and a slow growth rate. The Cuatro Ciénegas Basin (CCB) is a complex aquatic ecosystem that contains an unusually high microbial diversity that is able to persist under highly oligotrophic conditions. These environmental conditions impose a variety of strong selective pressures that shape the genome dynamics of their inhabitants. The genus Bacillus is one of the most abundant cultivable bacterial groups in the CCB and usually possesses a relatively large number of rrn operon copies (6–15 copies). The main goal of this study was to analyze the variation in the number of rrn operon copies of Bacillus in the CCB and to assess their growth-related properties as well as their stoichiometric balance (N and P content). We defined 18 phylogenetic groups within the Bacilli clade and documented a range of from six to 14 copies of the rrn operon. The growth dynamic of these Bacilli was heterogeneous and did not show a direct relation to the number of operon copies. Physiologically, our results were not consistent with the Growth Rate Hypothesis, since the copies of the rrn operon were decoupled from growth rate. However, we speculate that the diversity of the growth properties of these Bacilli as well as the low P content of their cells in an ample range of rrn copy number is an adaptive response to oligotrophy of the CCB and could represent an ecological mechanism that allows these taxa to coexist. These findings increase the knowledge of the variability in the number of copies of the rrn operon in the genus Bacillus and give insights about the physiology of this bacterial group under extreme oligotrophic conditions.

The effect of selected factors on the survival of Bacillus cereus in the human gastrointestinal tract

Bacillus cereus is a Gram-positive bacterium widely distributed in soil and vegetation. This bacterial species can also contaminate raw or processed foods. Pathogenic B. cereus strains can cause a range of infections in humans, as well as food poisoning of an emetic (intoxication) or diarrheal type (toxico-infection). Toxico-infections are due to the action of the Hbl toxin, Nhe toxin, and cytotoxin K produced by the microorganism in the gastrointestinal tract. This occurs once the spores or vegetative B. cereus cells survive the pH barrier of the stomach and reach the small intestine where they produce toxins in sufficient amounts. This article discusses the effect of various factors on the survival of B. cereus in the gastrointestinal tract, including low pH and the presence of digestive enzymes in the stomach, bile salts in the small intestine, and indigenous microflora in the lower parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Additional aspects also reported to affect B. cereus survival and virulence in the gastrointestinal tract include the interaction of the spores and vegetative cells with enterocytes. In vitro studies revealed that both vegetative B. cereus and spores can survive in the gastrointestinal tract suggesting that the biological form of the microorganism may have less influence on the occurrence of the symptoms of infection than was once believed. It is most likely the interaction between the pathogen and enterocytes that is necessary for the diarrheal form of B. cereus food poisoning to develop. The adhesion of B. cereus to the intestinal epithelium allows the bacterium to grow and produce enterotoxins in the proximity of the epithelium. Recent studies suggest that the human intestinal microbiota inhibits the growth of vegetative B. cereus cells considerably.

Growth characteristics and development of a predictive model for Bacillus cereus in fresh wet noodles with added ethanol and thiamine

Response surface methodology was used to determine growth characteristics and to develop a predictive model to describe specific growth rates of Bacillus cereus in wet noodles containing a combination of ethanol (0 to 2% [vol/wt]) and vitamin B(1) (0 to 2 g/liter). B. cereus F4810/72, which produces an emetic toxin, was used in this study. The noodles containing B. cereus were incubated at 10°C. The growth curves were fitted to the modified Gompertz equation using nonlinear regression, and the growth rate values from the curves were used to establish the predictive model using a response surface methodology quadratic polynomial equation as a function of concentrations of ethanol and vitamin B(1). The model was shown to fit the data very well (r(2) = 0.9505 to 0.9991) and could be used to accurately predict growth rates. The quadratic polynomial model was validated, and the predicted growth rate values were in good agreement with the experimental values. The polynomial model was found to be an appropriate secondary model for growth rate (GR) and lag time (LT) based on the correlation of determination (r(2) = 0.9899 for GR, 0.9782 for LT), bias factor (B(f) = 1.006 for GR, 0.992 for LT), and accuracy factor (A(f) = 1.024 for GR, 1.011 for LT). Thus, this model holds great promise for use in predicting the growth of B. cereus in fresh wet noodles using only the bacterial concentration, an important contribution to the manufacturing of safe products.

Assessment of the microbiological safety of dried spices and herbs commercialized in Spain

Spices and herbs are natural products or their blends that must be free of extraneous matter content. Conventional production of these products implicates a number of hygienic problems so spices and herbs may be exposed to a wide range of microbial contamination during pre- and post-harvest and they can present high microbial counts. In this study, we have analyzed the microbial quality of 53 samples of spices and dry herbs collected from Spanish markets detecting a contamination of samples of spices with mesophilic aerobic counts (10%) and Enterobacteriaceae (20%). The analysis from herbs showed that the percentage of contamination was 26% in both microbiological values. Pathogenic microorganisms like Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia intermedia, Shigella spp., Enterobacter spp., Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Hafni alvei were also isolated from spices and herbs. These unsatisfactory results showed a poor microbiological quality. Spices and dry herbs are used as ingredients in a variety of products prepared in different ways, this fact suggests the need to provide a control system to improve the quality of herbs and spices.

Implications of salt and sodium reduction on microbial food safety

Excess sodium consumption has been cited as a primary cause of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Salt (sodium chloride) is considered the main source of sodium in the human diet, and it is estimated that processed foods and restaurant foods contribute 80% of the daily intake of sodium in most of the Western world. However, ample research demonstrates the efficacy of sodium chloride against pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in a variety of food systems. Notable examples of the utility and necessity of sodium chloride include the inhibition of growth and toxin production by Clostridium botulinum in processed meats and cheeses. Other sodium salts contributing to the overall sodium consumption are also very important in the prevention of spoilage and/or growth of microorganisms in foods. For example, sodium lactate and sodium diacetate are widely used in conjunction with sodium chloride to prevent the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and lactic acid bacteria in ready-to-eat meats. These and other examples underscore the necessity of sodium salts, particularly sodium chloride, for the production of safe, wholesome foods. Key literature on the antimicrobial properties of sodium chloride in foods is reviewed here to address the impact of salt and sodium reduction or replacement on microbiological food safety and quality.

Comparison of two optical-density-based methods and a plate count method for estimation of growth parameters of Bacillus cereus

Quantitative microbiological models predicting proliferation of microorganisms relevant for food safety and/or food stability are useful tools to limit the need for generation of biological data through challenge testing and shelf-life testing. The use of these models requires quick and reliable methods for the generation of growth data and estimation of growth parameters. Growth parameter estimation can be achieved using methods based on plate counting and methods based on measuring the optical density. This research compares the plate count method with two optical density methods, namely, the 2-fold dilution (2FD) method and the relative rate to detection (RRD) method. For model organism Bacillus cereus F4810/72, the plate count method and both optical density methods gave comparable estimates for key growth parameters. Values for the maximum specific growth rate (mu(max)) derived by the 2FD method and by the RRD method were of the same order of magnitude, but some marked differences between the two approaches were apparent. Whereas the 2FD method allowed the derivation of values for lag time (lambda) from the data, this was not possible with the RRD method. However, the RRD method gave many more data points per experiment and also gave more data points close to the growth boundary. This research shows that all three proposed methods can be used for parameter estimation but that the choice of method depends on the objectives of the research.

A response surface model to describe the effect of temperature and pH on the growth of Bacillus cereus in cooked rice

This study was performed to develop a predictive model for the growth rate of Bacillus cereus in cooked rice. A response surface methodology (RSM) was used with a combination of storage temperature (10 to 40 degrees C) and pH value (5.4 to 6.8). The growth curves generated under different conditions were fitted using a modified Gompertz equation, and the relationship of the growth rate to the growth curves was modeled using an RSM quadratic polynomial equation. The predictive model was significant (P < 0.01), and the predicted values of the growth parameters obtained using the model equations were in close agreement with experimental values (R2 = 0.9864). The RSM evaluation for describing the growth rate of B. cereus involved both a bias factor (Bf) and an accuracy factor (Af). Both the Bf value (1.006) and the Af value (1.011) approached 1.0 and were within acceptable ranges. Therefore, the adequacy of the predictive model for B. cereus in cooked rice was verified by the validation data.

Effect of modified atmosphere and temperature abuse on the growth from spores and cereulide production of Bacillus weihenstephanensis in a cooked chilled meat sausage

The effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the germination and growth of toxin producing psychrotolerant Bacillus spp is not well described. A model agar system mimicking a cooked meat product was used in initial experiments. Incubation at refrigeration temperature of 8 degrees C for 5 weeks of 26 Bacillus weihenstephanensis including two emetic toxin (cereulide) producing strains showed that B. weihenstephanensis is sensitive to MAP containing CO2. The sensitivity to 20% CO2 was dependent on strain and oxygen level, being increased when oxygen was excluded from the MAP. Growth from spores was observed at the earliest within 2 weeks when 20% CO2 was combined with 2% O2 and in 3 weeks when combined with "0"% O2 (the remaining atmosphere was made up from N2). Results were validated in a cooked meat sausage model for two non-emetic and one emetic B. weihenstephanensis strain. The packaging film oxygen transfer rates (OTR) were 1.3 and 40 ml/m(2)/24 h and the atmospheres were 2% O2/20% CO2 and "0"% O2/20% CO2. Oxygen availability had a large impact on the growth from spores in the MAP meat sausage, only the most oxygen restricted condition (OTR of 1.3 ml/m(2)/24 h and "0"% O2/20 % CO2 inhibited growth of the three strains during 4 weeks storage at 8 degrees C. Cereulide production was undetectable during storage at 8 degrees C irrespective of choice of the MAP (quantified by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry). MAP storage at 8 degrees C for 1 and 3 weeks followed by opening of packages and temperature abuse for 1.5 h daily at 20 degrees C during 1 week resulted in increased cell counts and variable cereulide production in the meat sausage. A pre-history at 8 degrees C for 1 week in MAP with OTR of 1.3 or 40 ml/m(2)/24 h and 2% O2 resulted in cereulide concentrations of 0.816-1.353 microg/g meat sausage, while a pre-history under the most oxygen restricted condition (OTR of 1.3 ml/m(2)/24 h, "0"% O2/20 % CO2 resulted in minimal cereulide production (0.004 microg/g meat sausage) at abuse condition. Extension of MAP storage at 8 degrees C for 3 weeks followed by abuse resulted in a substantially reduced cereulide production. Data demonstrates that MAP can be used to inhibit growth of a psychrotolerant toxin producing Bacillus spp. during chill storage at 8 degrees C, and substantially reduce the risk of emetic food poisoning at abuse condition. Results are of relevance for improving safety of ready to eat processed chilled foods of extended durability.

Synergistic bactericidal effect of carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde or thymol and refrigeration to inhibit Bacillus cereus in carrot broth

Possible use of three different essential oil components as natural food preservatives was studied by examining their influence in the kinetics of growth from activated spores of four Bacillus cereus strains in tyndallized carrot broth over the temperature range 5-16 degrees C. Selected low concentrations of carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, or thymol showed a clear antibacterial activity against B. cereus in the vegetable substrate. The addition of 2 microl cinnamaldehyde or 20 mg thymol to 100 ml of broth in combination with refrigeration temperatures (<or= 8 degrees C) was able to inhibit the outgrowth from activated spores of the psychrotrophic strain INRA TZ415 for at least 60 days, but only cinnamaldehyde did it even at the mild abuse temperature of 12 degrees C. Five microliters of carvacrol per 100 ml of inoculated carrot broth, however, were unable to inhibit bacterial growth at 8 degrees C.

Effects of antimicrobial components of essential oils on growth of Bacillus cereus INRA L2104 in and the sensory qualities of carrot broth

The possible use of antimicrobials from seven plant essential oils as food preservatives was studied by examining their effects on the growth kinetics of activated Bacillus cereus INRA L2104 spores inoculated into tyndallized carrot broth. The effects of various concentrations of borneol, carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, menthol, thymol, and vanillin were determined. Five microliters of cinnamaldehyde, 15 microl of carvacrol, or 30 mg of thymol per 100 ml of inoculated carrot broth completely inhibited bacterial growth for more than 60 days at 16 degrees C. Lower concentrations of the three antimicrobials prolonged the lag phase and reduced both the exponential growth rate and the final population densities of cultures. The study of the sensory characteristics of the supplemented broths suggested that low concentration of cinnamaldehyde enhanced the taste of carrot broth, and that it did not have any adverse effect on the taste and smell of carrot broth at concentrations less than 6 microl 100 ml(-1).

Shelf Life and Safety Concerns of Bakery Products—A Review

Bakery products are an important part of a balanced diet and, today, a wide variety of such products can be found on supermarket shelves. This includes unsweetened goods (bread, rolls, buns, crumpets, muffins and bagels), sweet goods (pancakes, doughnuts, waffles and cookies) and filled goods (fruit and meat pies, sausage rolls, pastries, sandwiches, cream cakes, pizza and quiche). However, bakery products, like many processed foods, are subject to physical, chemical and microbiological spoilage. While physical and chemical spoilage limits the shelf life of low and intermediate moisture bakery products, microbiological spoilage by bacteria, yeast and molds is the concern in high moisture products i.e., products with a water activity (a(w)) > 0.85. Furthermore, several bakery products also have been implicated infoodborne illnesses involving Salmonella spp., Listeria monoctyogenes and Bacillus cereus, while Clostridium botulinum is a concern in high moisture bakery products packaged under modified atmospheres. This extensive review is divided into two parts. Part I focuses on the spoilage concerns of low, intermediate and high moisture bakery products while Part II focuses on the safety concerns of high moisture bakery products only. In both parts, traditional and novel methods of food preservation that can be used by the bakery industry to extend the shelf life and enhance the safety of products are discussed in detail.

Antibacterial activity of 11 essential oils against Bacillus cereus in tyndallized carrot broth

The antibacterial activity of 11 essential oils from aromatic plants against the strain INRA L2104 of the foodborne pathogen Bacillus cereus grown in carrot broth at 16 degrees C was studied. The quantity needed by the essential oils of nutmeg, mint, clove, oregano, cinnamon, sassafras, sage, thyme or rosemary to produce 14-1110% relative extension of the lag phase was determined. Total growth inhibition of bacterial spores was observed for some of the antimicrobial agents assayed. The addition of 5 microl cinnamon essential oil per 100 ml of broth in combination with refrigeration temperatures of <or=8 degrees C produced the conditions necessary to inhibit the growth of B. cereus for at least 60 days in a model, refrigerated minimally processed food product, made with carrots and tyndallized. This is especially important considering that the psychrotrophic enterotoxigenic strain of B. cereus INRA TZ415 was able to grow in this substrate at low temperatures in the absence of any essential oil. Furthermore, the study of the sensory characteristics of the final product suggests that the use of cinnamon essential oil can be considered as an alternative to "traditional food preservatives".

Influence of pH and temperature on growth of Bacillus cereus in vegetable substrates

Bacillus cereus is a food-borne pathogen which most often contaminates foods of plant origin. Spores of psychrotrophic strains have the ability to germinate and grow at refrigeration temperatures in different vegetable substrates, such as carrot broth, zucchini broth, and cooked carrot purée. In some circumstances, factors such as pH, heat treatment, and storage temperature play a fundamental role in controlling the growth of these psychrotrophic strains and in extending the shelf life of refrigerated, minimally processed vegetable-based products in relation to pathogenic spore-forming bacteria. The combination of mild acidification (pH 5.0) and refrigeration (</=8 degrees C) inhibited B. cereus growth for at least 60 days in vegetable substrates similar to those mentioned above. This protection was maintained even when the temperature to which the food was exposed reached 12 degrees C. Psychrotrophic strains of B. cereus were inhibited in carrot broth by heating at 90 degrees C for 7.5 min, if the broth was refrigerated at a temperature of 8 degrees C or lower. If the vegetable product was exposed to temperatures of mild abuse (12 degrees C), it was necessary to implement a more drastic heat treatment (90 degrees C for 30 min).

Practical application of predictive microbiology software programs to HACCP plans

We studied how predictive microbiology models could practically be applied to HACCP plans with two predictive software programs that are currently available. The software programs were the Food Micromodel elaborated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, U.K. and the Pathogen Modeling Program of Eastern Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture. They successfully provided useful information on (i) the determination of Critical Control Points (CCPs), (ii) the estimation of critical limits at CCPs, (iii) the decision of abused products, (iv) the assessment of equivalence of HACCP plans, and further (v) the development of new products. With the information simulated by the software programs, HACCP teams could make scientific and objective decisions for developing their individual plans. It was also confirmed that microbiological process standards for food processing are indispensable for the application of the predictive programs to HACCP plans.

Growth of Bacillus cereus on solid media as affected by agar, sodium chloride, and potassium sorbate

The effect of two independent variables: microstructure, as modified by the agar content (1.0, 4.0, 7.0%), and water activity (a(w)), as modified by the NaCl content (0.5, 2.5, 4.5%), in the absence or in the presence of potassium sorbate (0.0; 2,000 ppm) on Bacillus cereus growth on solid media was studied. The time to visible growth (TVG) and the radial growth rate (RGR) of colonies were evaluated. TVG was not affected by microstructure and K-sorbate, although when a(w) was reduced, TVG tended to increase. RGR depended on linear effects of microstructure and a(w) variables and their interaction. When K-sorbate was added to cultural media, RGR was reduced significantly. However, in the presence of K-sorbate, RGR was found to change only when a(w) vas varied.

Effect of temperature on growth characteristics of Bacillus cereus TZ415

The effect of temperature on the maximal specific growth rate was studied in Bacillus cereus between 5 and 40 degrees C cultivated in courgette broth and rich medium (J broth). B. cereus grown from 5 to 38 degrees C in rich medium. No growth was observed in courgette broth below 10 degrees C. The Arrhenius plot was fitted from experimental data of B. cereus grown in rich medium and at regulated pH, oxygen and temperature. Two domains which are separated by a critical temperature around 13 degrees C can be distinguished with regard to temperature dependence of maximal specific growth rate. Over the cold domain from 5 to 13 degrees C, the temperature characteristic was 2.6 fold higher than over the sub-optimal domain from 13 to 38 degrees C suggesting that the growth temperature regulates several metabolic pathways.

Validation and analysis of modeled predictions of growth of Bacillus cereus spores in boiled rice

The growth of psychrotrophic Bacillus cereus 404 from spores in boiled rice was examined experimentally at 15, 20, and 30 degrees C. Using the Gompertz function, observed growth was modeled, and these kinetic values were compared with kinetic values for the growth of mesophilic vegetative cells as predicted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Pathogen Modeling Program, version 5.1. An analysis of variance indicated no statistically significant difference between observed and predicted values. A graphical comparison of kinetic values demonstrated that modeled predictions were "fail safe" for generation time and exponential growth rate at all temperatures. The model also was fail safe for lag-phase duration at 20 and 30 degrees C but not at 15 degrees C. Bias factors of 0.55, 0.82, and 1.82 for generation time, lag-phase duration, and exponential growth rate, respectively, indicated that the model generally was fail safe and hence provided a margin of safety in its growth predictions. Accuracy factors of 1.82, 1.60, and 1.82 for generation time, lag-phase duration, and exponential growth rate, respectively, quantitatively demonstrated the degree of difference between predicted and observed values. Although the Pathogen Modeling Program produced reasonably accurate predictions of the growth of psychrotrophic B. cereus from spores in boiled rice, the margin of safety provided by the model may be more conservative than desired for some applications. It is recommended that if microbial growth modeling is to be applied to any food safety or processing situation, it is best to validate the model before use. Once experimental data are gathered, graphical and quantitative methods of analysis can be useful tools for evaluating specific trends in model prediction and identifying important deviations between predicted and observed data.

Validation of predictive models describing the growth of Listeria monocytogenes

In this study, predictions for growth rate of Listeria on food products were evaluated by both general applicable models and specific growth models. Literature values, obtained from a large number of publications, for growth rates in/on a variety of foods were compared by graphical and mathematical analysis with predictions given by various models. Apart for the great advantage of being generally applicable, the general models performed best. However, only small differences between the various models were observed. Model predictions were accurate within a factor of about two to four, depending on the type of product. The predictions should therefore not be considered as absolute; it is important to understand the limitations of the performance of models. All results and all assumptions should be criticised, but in many cases the accuracy will be sufficient to use these types of models as a tool in management decisions.

Shelf life of modified atmosphere packed cooked meat products: a predictive model

The effect of temperature, concentration of dissolved CO2 and water activity on the growth of Lactobacillus sake was investigated by developing predictive models for the lag phase and the maximum specific growth rate of this specific spoilage organism for gas-packed cooked meat products. Two types of predictive model were compared: an extended Ratkowsky model and a response surface model. In general, response surface models showed a slightly better correlation, but the response surface model for the maximum specific growth rate showed illogical predictions at low water activities. The concentration of dissolved CO2 proved to be a significant independent variable for the maximum specific growth rate as well as for the lag phase of L. sake. Synergistic actions on the shelf life-extending effect were noticed between temperature and dissolved CO2, as well as between water activity and dissolved CO2. The developed models were validated by comparison with the existing model of Kant-Muermans et al. (1997) and by means of experiments in gas-packed cooked meat products. Both developed models proved to be useful in the prediction of the microbial shelf life of gas-packed cooked meat products.