89A-3 |
|
Y.-C. SU, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, Oregon State Univ., OSU Seafood Research Lab., 2001 Marine Dr., Rm. 253, Astoria, OR 97103-3420 and C. Liu, College of Food Science & Technology, Shanghai Fisheries Univ., 334 Jungong Rd., Shanghai, 200090, China. The cool and wet processing environment in seafood processing plants is conducive to the presence of L. monocytogenes. Ready-to-eat (RTE) seafoods such as shrimp, crab, and lobster that are picked by hand could be contaminated with L. monocytogenes through contact with contaminated gloves. This study investigated the survival of L. monocytogenes on gloves that might be used for preparing RTE foods and potential use of electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water as a sanitizer for eliminating L. monocytogenes contamination on gloves. Disposable (2 types) and reusable (3 types) gloves were cut into small coupons with shrimp meat homogenate added to imitate dirty glove surfaces. The coupons were inoculated with 5-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes (105-106 cells/coupon). Survival of L. monocytogenes on the coupons and effects of EO water on reducing contamination were determined. The populations of L. monocytogenes on coupons decreased after 1 hr at room temperature. However, the organism seemed to survive better on disposable than on reusable gloves with lesser reductions observed on disposable (<1 log) than on reusable gloves (3 to 4 log). Soaking clean coupons inoculated with L. monocytogenes in tap water resulted in moderate reductions of Listeria cells (1- to 2-log reductions). However, soaking clean coupons in EO water completely eliminated L. monocytogenes (generally >4.0-log reduction). Presence of food residue on glove surface reduced the effectiveness of EO water on reducing bacterial contamination. However, soaking dirty coupons in EO water still yielded greater reductions (about 2 log) of L. monocytogenes when compared with tap water treatments (generally 1 log or less). This study indicates that EO water can be used as a sanitizing agent for destroying L. monocytogenes on contaminated gloves and enhance safety of RTE food products.
Session 89A, Aquatic Food Products: General
2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana |