Atmospheric Cold Plasma and Peracetic Acid-Based Hurdle Intervention To Reduce Salmonella on Raw Poultry Meat

Bactericidal Effects and Quality Impact of Peroxyacetic Acid and Sodium Hypochlorite on Chicken Carcasses

There is an urgent need to develop efficient and environmentally friendly decontaminants for poultry products. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the practical application of peroxyacetic acid (PAA) as a replacement for sodium hypochlorite (SH) to sterilize fresh chicken carcasses, using microbial, color, and electronic-nose analyses. We evaluated the decontamination effects of different concentrations of PAA and SH on chicken carcasses. The bactericidal effects of PAA at pH 3, 7, and 9, and SH at pH 10, at concentrations ranging from 100 to 500 ppm on coliform bacteria, total bacteria, and Salmonella spp. were evaluated. PAA induced a similar bactericidal effect at lower concentrations than SH. Therefore, at the same concentration and treatment time, PAA showed better bactericidal effects than SH. Although treatment with PAA (pH 3) and SH (pH 10) resulted in considerable discoloration, the degree of discoloration decreased when the pH of PAA was increased to 7 and 9. Therefore, by increasing the pH of PAA, the discoloration effect on chicken carcasses can be reduced without altering the microbial-reduction effect. Electronic-nose analysis showed that the flavor of the chicken was almost unaffected by volatile components at a treatment time < 30 min. Therefore, this study experimentally identified the optimal PAA concentration for the decontamination of chicken carcasses. The study findings provide a theoretical basis for the replacement of traditional bactericides, such as SH, with PAA for the production of poultry products.

Salmonella spp. in poultry production-A review of the role of interventions along the production continuum

Salmonella is a significant pathogen of human and animal health and poultry are one of the most common sources linked with foodborne illness worldwide. Global production of poultry meat and products has increased significantly over the last decade or more as a result of consumer demand and the changing demographics of the world's population, where poultry meat forms a greater part of the diet. In addition, the relatively fast growth rate of birds which is significantly higher than other meat species also plays a role in how poultry production has intensified. In an effort to meet the greater demand for poultry meat and products, modern poultry production and processing practices have changed and practices to target control and reduction of foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella have been implemented. These strategies are implemented along the continuum from parent and grandparent flocks to breeders, the farm and finished broilers to transport and processing and finally from retail to the consumer. This review focuses on common practices, interventions and strategies that have potential impact for the control of Salmonella along the poultry production continuum from farm to plate.

Innovative Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Meat and Its Products

The growing demand for sustainable food production and the rising consumer preference for fresh, healthy, and safe food products have been driving the need for innovative methods for processing and preserving food. In the meat industry, this demand has led to the development of new interventions aimed at extending the shelf life of meats and its products while maintaining their quality and nutritional value. Cold plasma has recently emerged as a subject of great interest in the meat industry due to its potential to enhance the microbiological safety of meat and its products. This review discusses the latest research on the possible application of cold plasma in the meat processing industry, considering its effects on various quality attributes and its potential for meat preservation and enhancement. In this regard, many studies have reported substantial antimicrobial efficacy of cold plasma technology in beef, pork, lamb and chicken, and their products with negligible changes in their physicochemical attributes. Further, the application of cold plasma in meat processing has shown promising results as a potential novel curing agent for cured meat products. Understanding the mechanisms of action and the interactions between cold plasma and food ingredients is crucial for further exploring the potential of this technology in the meat industry, ultimately leading to the development of safe and high-quality meat products using cold plasma technology.

Mechanisms of bacterial inhibition and tolerance around cold atmospheric plasma

The grim situation of bacterial infection has undoubtedly become a major threat to human health. In the context of frequent use of antibiotics, a new bactericidal method is urgently needed to fight against drug-resistant bacteria caused by non-standard use of antibiotics. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is composed of a variety of bactericidal species, which has excellent bactericidal effect on microbes. However, the mechanism of interaction between CAP and bacteria is not completely clear. In this paper, we summarize the mechanisms of bacterial killing by CAP in a systematic manner, discuss the responses of bacteria to CAP treatment that are considered to be related to tolerance and their underlying mechanisms, review the recent advances in bactericidal applications of CAP finally. This review indicates that CAP inhibition and tolerance of survival bacteria are a set of closely related mechanisms and suggests that there might be other mechanisms of tolerance to survival bacteria that had not been discovered yet. In conclusion, this review shows that CAP has complex and diverse bactericidal mechanisms, and has excellent bactericidal effect on bacteria at appropriate doses. KEY POINTS: • The bactericidal mechanism of CAP is complex and diverse. • There are few resistant bacteria but tolerant bacteria during CAP treatment. • There is excellent germicidal effect when CAP in combination with other disinfectants.

Emerging Trends for Nonthermal Decontamination of Raw and Processed Meat: Ozonation, High-Hydrostatic Pressure and Cold Plasma

Meat may contain natural, spoilage, and pathogenic microorganisms based on the origin and characteristics of its dietary matrix. Several decontamination substances are used during or after meat processing, which include chlorine, organic acids, inorganic phosphates, benzoates, propionates, bacteriocins, or oxidizers. Unfortunately, traditional decontamination methods are often problematic because of their adverse impact on the quality of the raw carcass or processed meat. The extended shelf-life of foods is a response to the pandemic trend, whereby consumers are more likely to choose durable products that can be stored for a longer period between visits to food stores. This includes changing purchasing habits from “just in time” products “for now” to “just in case” products, a trend that will not fade away with the end of the pandemic. To address these concerns, novel carcass-decontamination technologies, such as ozone, high-pressure processing and cold atmospheric plasma, together with active and clean label ingredients, have been investigated for their potential applications in the meat industry. Processing parameters, such as exposure time and processing intensity have been evaluated for each type of matrix to achieve the maximum reduction of spoilage microorganism counts without affecting the physicochemical, organoleptic, and functional characteristics of the meat products. Furthermore, combined impact (hurdle concept) was evaluated to enhance the understanding of decontamination efficiency without undesirable changes in the meat products. Most of these technologies are beneficial as they are cost-effective, chemical-free, eco-friendly, easy to use, and can treat foods in sealed packages, preventing the product from post-process contamination. Interestingly, their synergistic combination with other hurdle approaches can help to substitute the use of chemical food preservatives, which is an aspect that is currently quite desirable in the majority of consumers. Nonetheless, some of these techniques are difficult to store, requiring a large capital investment for their installation, while a lack of certification for industrial utilization is also problematic. In addition, most of them suffer from a lack of sufficient data regarding their mode of action for inactivating microorganisms and extending shelf-life stability, necessitating a need for further research in this area.

Recent Advances and Potential Applications of Atmospheric Pressure Cold Plasma Technology for Sustainable Food Processing

In a circular economy, products, waste, and resources are kept in the system as long as possible. This review aims to highlight the importance of cold plasma technology as an alternative solution to some challenges in the food chain, such as the extensive energy demand and the hazardous chemicals used. Atmospheric cold plasma can provide a rich source of reactive gas species such as radicals, excited neutrals, ions, free electrons, and UV light that can be efficiently used for sterilization and decontamination, degrading toxins, and pesticides. Atmospheric cold plasma can also improve the utilization of materials in agriculture and food processing, as well as convert waste into resources. The use of atmospheric cold plasma technology is not without challenges. The wide range of reactive gas species leads to many questions about their safety, active life, and environmental impact. Additionally, the associated regulatory approval process requires significant data demonstrating its efficacy. Cold plasma generation requires a specific reliable system, process control monitoring, scalability, and worker safety protections.

Dipping fresh-cut apples in citric acid before plasma-integrated low-pressure cooling improves Salmonella and polyphenol oxidase inactivation

BACKGROUND

Ready-to-eat fruit and vegetable products have gained tremendous popularity in recent years. The main challenges associated with these minimally processed products are their short shelf life and high food safety concerns. In this study, our goal was to develop an integrated process to both reduce the Salmonella population by >5 log CFU g^-1 ) and to reduce polyphenol oxidase activity, followed by quickly cooling the product. We compared the effect of a sequential treatment of dipping in citric acid (CA) followed by cold plasma (CP) treatment on the inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, browning, total phenolic content and the moisture loss of cut apples during the plasma-integrated low-pressure cooling (PiLPC) process.

RESULTS

The greatest inactivation of Salmonella (5.68 log CFU g^-1 ) and the highest PPO inactivation (78%) were observed after dipping cut apples in 5% CA, followed by 3 min of CP treatment. The color of cut apples remained relatively unchanged, with a fresh-like appearance during 7 days of storage at 4 °C after this combined treatment. Although the low-pressure cooling time was increased when samples were pre-dipped in CA, related to those undipped, the moisture loss was reduced by more than 50% during the PiLPC process. No significant reduction in phenolic content was observed during the PiLPC when the samples were pre-dipped in 5% CA.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate the potential of this integrated process for the inactivation of endogenous food enzymes and bacterial pathogens in fresh-cut apples. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Novel Techniques for Microbiological Safety in Meat and Fish Industries

The consumer tendency towards convenient, minimally processed meat items has placed extreme pressure on processors to certify the safety of meat or meat products without compromising the quality of product and to meet consumer’s demand. This has prompted difficulties in creating and carrying out novel processing advancements, as the utilization of more up-to-date innovations may influence customer decisions and assessments of meat and meat products. Novel advances received by the fish and meat industries for controlling food-borne microbes of huge potential general wellbeing concern, gaps in the advancements, and the requirement for improving technologies that have been demonstrated to be effective in research settings or at the pilot scale shall be discussed. Novel preparing advancements in the meat industries warrant microbiological approval before being named as industrially suitable alternatives and authorizing infra-structural changes. This miniature review presents the novel techniques for the microbiological safety of meat products, including both thermal and non-thermal methods. These technologies are being successfully implemented and rationalized in subsisting processing surroundings.

Combined Effect of Impregnation with an Origanum vulgare Infusion and Osmotic Treatment on the Shelf Life and Quality of Chilled Chicken Fillets

The scope of this work is the study of a combined process including a dipping step into an oregano (Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum) infusion (OV) followed by osmotic treatment of chicken fillets at 15 °C. Chicken fillets were immersed in an osmotic solution consisting of 40% glycerol and 5% NaCl with (OV/OD) and without (OD) prior antioxidant enrichment in a hypotonic oregano solution. A comparative shelf life study of all the samples (untreated, OD and OV/OD treated) was then conducted at 4 °C in order to assess the impact of this process on the quality and shelf life of chilled chicken fillets. Microbial growth, lipid oxidation and color/texture changes were measured throughout the chilled storage period. Rates of microbial growth of pretreated fillets were significantly reduced, mainly as a result of water activity decrease (OD step). Rancidity development closely related to off odors and sensory rejection was greatly inhibited in treated fillets owing to both inhibitory factors (OD and OV), with water-soluble phenols (OV step) exhibiting the main antioxidant effect. Shelf life of treated chicken fillets exhibited a more than three-fold increase as compared to the untreated samples based on both chemical and microbial spoilage indices, maintaining a positive and pleasant sensory profile throughout the storage period examined.

Dielectric barrier discharge cold atmospheric plasma: Influence of processing parameters on microbial inactivation in meat and meat products

Decontamination of meat is commonly practiced to get rid of or decrease the microbial presence on the meat surface. Dielectric barrier discharge cold atmospheric plasma (DBD-CAP) as innovative technology is a food microbial inactivation technique considered in high regard by food scientists and engineers in present times. However, cold atmospheric plasma application is at the experimental stage, due to lack of sufficient information on its mode of action in inactivating microbes, food shelf-life extensibility, whereas, the nutritional value of food is preserved. In this review, we have appraised recent work on DBD-CAP concerning the decontamination treatment of meat products, highlighting the processing value results on the efficacy of the DBD-CAP microbial inactivation technique. Also, the paper will review the configurations, proposed mechanisms, and chemistry of DBD-CAP. Satisfactory microbial inactivation was observed. In terms of DBD-CAP application on sensory evaluation, inferences from reviewed literature showed that DBD has no significant effect on meat color and tenderness, whereas in contrast, TBARS values of fresh and processed meat are affected. DBD seems economically efficient and environmentally sustainable.

Reduction of T-2 and HT-2 mycotoxins by atmospheric cold plasma and its impact on quality changes and germination of wheat grains

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is susceptible to mycotoxin contamination, which can result in significant health risks and economic losses. This research examined the ability of air atmospheric cold plasma (air-ACP) treatment to reduce pure and spiked T-2 and HT-2 mycotoxins' concentration on wheat grains. This study also evaluated the effect of ACP treatment using different gases on wheat grain germination parameters. The T-2 and HT-2 mycotoxin solutions applied on round cover-glass were placed on microscopy slides and wheat grains (0.5 g) were individually spiked with T-2 and HT-2 on their surfaces. Samples were then dried at room temperature (∼24 °C) and treated by air-ACP for 1 to 10 min. Ten minutes of air-ACP treatment significantly reduced pure T-2 and HT-2 concentrations by 63.63% and 51.5%, respectively. For mycotoxin spiked on wheat grains, 10 min air-ACP treatment significantly decreased T-2 and HT-2 concentrations up to 79.8% and 70.4%, respectively. No significant change in the measured quality and color parameters was observed in the ACP-treated samples. Wheat grain germination parameters were not significantly different, when treated with ACP using different gases. Air-ACP treatment and ACP treatment using 80% nitrogen + 20% oxygen improved the germination of wheat grains by 10% and 6%, respectively. This study demonstrated that ACP is an innovative technology with the potential to improve the safety of wheat grains by reducing T-2/HT-2 mycotoxins with an additional advantage of improving their germination. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) technology has a huge potential to degrade mycotoxins in food grains. This study evaluated the efficacy of ACP to reduce two major mycotoxins (T-2 and HT-2 toxins) in wheat grains. The results of this study will help to develop and scale-up the ACP technology for mycotoxin degradation in grains.

Physical Methods for the Decontamination of Meat Surfaces

Purpose of Review

The market for minimally processed products is constantly growing due to consumer demand. Besides food safety and increased shelf life, nutritional value and sensory appearance also play a major role and have to be considered by the food processors. Therefore, the purpose of the review was to summarize recent knowledge about important alternative non-thermal physical technologies, including both those which are actually applied (e.g. high-pressure processing and irradiation) and those demonstrating a high potential for future application in raw meat decontamination (e.g. pulsed light UV-C and cold plasma treatment). The evaluation of the methods is carried out with respect to efficiency, preservation of food quality and consumer acceptance.

Recent Findings

It was evident that significantly higher bacterial reductions are achieved with gamma-ray, electron beam irradiation and high pressure, followed by pulsed light, UV-C and cold plasma, with ultrasound alone proving the least effective. As a limitation, it must be noted that sensory deviations may occur and that legal approvals may have to be applied for.

Summary

In summary, it can be concluded that physical methods have the potential to be used for decontamination of meat surfaces in addition to common hygiene measures. However, the aim of future research should be more focused on the combined use of different technologies to further increase the inactivation effects by keeping meat quality at the same time.

Factors influencing the antimicrobial efficacy of Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) Atmospheric Cold Plasma (ACP) in food processing applications

Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is an emerging technology in the food industry with a huge antimicrobial potential to improve safety and extend the shelf life of food products. Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is a popular approach for generating ACP. Thanks to the numerous advantages of DBD ACP, it is proving to be successful in a number of applications, including microbial decontamination of foods. The antimicrobial efficacy of DBD ACP is influenced by multiple factors. This review presents an overview of ACP sources, with an emphasis on DBD, and an analysis of their antimicrobial efficacy in foods in open atmosphere and in-package modes. Specifically, the influence of process, product, and microbiological factors influencing the antimicrobial efficacy of DBD ACP are critically reviewed. DBD ACP is a promising technology that can improve food safety with minimal impact on food quality under optimal conditions. Once the issues pertinent to scale-up of plasma sources are appropriately addressed, the DBD ACP technology will find wider adaptation in food industry.

A Survey of Raw Frozen Breaded Chicken Products for Salmonella in British Columbia, Canada, and Phylogenetically Associated Illnesses

ABSTRACT

The incidence of Salmonella enterica infection resulting from consumption of chicken products has historically been elevated in British Columbia compared with the rest of Canada. Raw frozen breaded chicken products are often implicated as the source of infection as there is a potential for consumers to not cook these products adequately. This occurs because the production process for these foods involves par-frying, a step which lends a cooked appearance to the product surface without reaching the internal temperatures required to fully inactivate potential pathogens. A survey of frozen chicken products from 10 retail stores of various sizes was conducted in order to determine the type and source of frozen chicken products that are available for purchase in British Columbia. Information on 391 individual products was collected and 50 were sampled for microbiological testing. Raw frozen breaded chicken products represented 59% of the frozen chicken products available to consumers at retail; 34% of these raw products were made by a single processor. The same processor was also found to have the highest proportion (33%) of samples testing positive for Salmonella. Whole genome sequencing of isolates obtained during this study revealed that majority of these isolates were phylogenetically related to clinical isolates of Salmonella. A substantial reduction of risk and increased consumer protection may be achieved by implementing a kill step (e.g., cook process that has been validated to achieve a 7-log reduction) during production of these products.

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