Modelling the exposure to Cronobacter sakazakii by consumption of a cocoa-milk-based beverage processed by pulsed electric fields

摘要

Infants’ exposure (Nf ) to Cronobacter sakazakii via the consumption of infant-rich-inpolyphenolscocoa-milk-based beverages (CCX-M) treated with high-intensity pulsedelectric fields (PEF) was evaluated. Monte Carlo simulation enabled the predictionof the variability in C. sakazakii load in beverages at the time of consumption to beestimated. Different scenarios (initial contamination levels; PEF treatment conditions;and time-temperature combinations of CCX-M beverages storage after treatment) weresimulated. Cocoa addition and PEF treatment resulted in the most influential inputfactors to control bacterial final load. Cronobacter spp. exposure risk was reduced bya maximum of 100 times at 95% of iterations due to addition of cocoa at 5 g/100 mL,corresponding to scenario 3 (PEF: 15 kV/cm–3,000 μs; storage 120 h at 8 °C). Moreover,the probability of illness for a healthy population was reduced from 2.15 × 10-8,in the baseline scenario, to 4.78 × 10-10 due to cocoa addition and application of15 kV/cm–3,000 μs PEF treatment.