Examination of the Use of Bacteriophage as an Additive and Determining Its Best Application Method to Control Listeria monocytogenes in a Cooked-Meat Model System
Abstract
The study examined the efficacy of using bacteriophage as an additive in a cooked-meat model system to control growth of contaminating Listeria monocytogenes during subsequent storage. Studies were designed where Listeria bacteriophage A511 and L. monocytogenes introduced inside or on the surface of the cooked-meat to simulate different bacteriophage application and pathogen contamination scenarios. These scenarios include: (1) A511 and L. monocytogenes in meat; (2) A511 in meat, L. monocytogenes on surface; (3) L. monocytogenes in meat, A511 on surface; and (4) L. monocytogenes followed by A511 on meat surface. Real world bacteriophage application and pathogen contamination levels of 109 PFU/g and 103-4 CFU/g, respectively, were used. These meats were then vacuum packaged and stored at 4°C and changes in A511 titers and L. monocytogenes numbers were enumerated during the 28-day storage. Under the conditions tested, application of A511 directly on top of L. monocytogenes contaminating the surface of the meat was the only scenario where L. monocytogenes numbers were reduced to below detection limits and remained significantly lower than the controls for up to 20 days. Although A511 titers remained stable when applied as an addit...Continue Reading
References
Examination of bacteriophage as a biocontrol method for salmonella on fresh-cut fruit: a model study
Bacteriophage biocontrol of Listeria monocytogenes on soft ripened white mold and red-smear cheeses.
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