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Estimation of the survival curve of Listeria monocytogenes during non-isothermal heat treatments
Food Research International (2001)
  • Micha Peleg, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
  • C.M. Penchina
  • M.B. Cole
Abstract

Published survival curves of Listeria monocytogenes under several constant temperatures in the range of 50–65°C could be described by the model Log10[S(t)]=−b(T)tn(T), where S(t) is the momentary survival ratio, and b(T) and n(T) coefficients whose temperature dependence was expressed by empirical models. When the temperature history T(t) is also expressed algebraically, b(T) and n(T) are transformed into time dependent terms, b[T(t)] and n[T(t)] respectively. If there is no growth and damage repair during the heating process, and the momentary inactivation rate only depends on the momentary temperature and survival ratio, then the solution of the differential equation dLog10[S(t)]/dt=−b[T(t)]*n[T(t)]*{−Log10[S(t)]/b[T(t)]}∧{(n[T(t)]−1)/n[T(t)]} provides the survival curve under the specified non-isothermal conditions. The validity of this model is demonstrated by the agreement of its predictions, calculated numerically using Mathematica®, to reported survival data of Listeria during heating at a constant and varying rates. Unlike in the traditional calculation methods of microbial survival, the one employed here does not require that microbial mortality be a process following a first or any other order kinetics model.

Disciplines
Publication Date
2001
Citation Information
Micha Peleg, C.M. Penchina and M.B. Cole. "Estimation of the survival curve of Listeria monocytogenes during non-isothermal heat treatments" Food Research International Vol. 34 (2001)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/micha_peleg/50/