Packaging systems and storage times serve as post-lethality treatments for Listeria monocytogenes on whole muscle beef jerky

摘要

Following several outbreaks involving Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meatand poultry products, the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety andInspection Service required that processors of these products implement post-processingintervention strategies for controlling L. monocytogenes. The USDA defines a postlethalitytreatment as a process that reduces L. monocytogenes by at least 1 log. Researchhas shown that packaging can generate a 1 log L. monocytogenes reduction following1 or more weeks of storage at room temperature. The objective of our study was todetermine the effect of packaging system and storage time on reducing L. monocytogeneson shelf-stable whole muscle jerky.