Intervention Processing for Controlling Pathogenic Bacteria in Fresh and Processed Meat

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Meat".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 8857

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
CIMO Mountain Research Center, School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Santa Apolónia Campus, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Interests: quality of meat and meat products; dynamic modelling; process optimization; linear and non-linear modelling; predictive microbiology; meta-regression; web applications; databases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CIMO Mountain Research Center, School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Santa Apolónia Campus, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Interests: predictive microbiology; quantitative risk assessment; meta-analysis; statistical quality control; Bayesian applications; experimental designs; shelf-life determination
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

While fresh and processed meats are important commodities in the global market, providing endless possibilities for new value-added products to meet consumers’ demands for a longer fresh appearance, convenience and nutrition, their consumption can carry some risk of foodborne microbial infections. In the past, most control methods to inhibit microbial growth or eliminate pathogens relied on applying lethal treatments. Nowadays, many promising thermal and non-thermal technologies, such as microwave, radiofrequency and ohmic heating, high-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric field (PEF), ultrasound technology, pulsed light and cold plasma, are well under consideration for the preservation of fresh and processed meats. Natural antimicrobials have been investigated and include naturally occurring antimicrobials, or biological preservatives such as beneficial microorganisms, bacteriocins or bacteriophages, which can be applied as (edible) coatings or in packaging systems. The Special Issue “Intervention Processing for Controlling Pathogenic Bacteria in Fresh and Processed Meat” welcomes original research and reviews on intervention processes such as the aforementioned ones and other emerging technologies that are designed not only to control pathogens in meats but also to be energy-conserving and environmentally friendly, maintaining products’ natural appearance and flavor.

Prof. Dr. Vasco Cadavez
Prof. Dr. Ursula Gonzales-Barron
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • high-pressure processing
  • ultrasound technology
  • pulsed electric field
  • cold plasma technology
  • ohmic heating
  • high-frequency heating
  • natural antimicrobials
  • antimicrobial packaging
  • (edible) coating
  • extracts and essential oils

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1621 KiB  
Article
Genetic Identification and Technological Potential of Indigenous Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Alheira, a Traditional Portuguese Sausage
by Nathália Fernandes, Ana Sofia Faria, Laís Carvalho, Altino Choupina, Carina Rodrigues, Ursula Gonzales-Barron and Vasco Cadavez
Foods 2024, 13(4), 598; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13040598 - 16 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 891
Abstract
Alheira is a naturally fermented meat sausage traditionally made in the Portuguese region of Trás-os-Montes. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the dominant microorganisms in alheira and can endow it with various technological properties. This study aimed (1) to characterize technological features and [...] Read more.
Alheira is a naturally fermented meat sausage traditionally made in the Portuguese region of Trás-os-Montes. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the dominant microorganisms in alheira and can endow it with various technological properties. This study aimed (1) to characterize technological features and in vitro antimicrobial activity of LAB isolated from alheira, and (2) to reveal associations between such phenotypic characteristics and the isolates species identified through amplification and sequencing of the 16S ribosomal gene. Sixty-two LAB isolates were identified and Enterococcus (E.) faecium corresponded to 32.3% of isolates, followed by Leuconostoc (L.) mesenteroides (19.4%) and Latilactobacillus (Lb.) sakei (17.7%), aligning with previous research on traditional Portuguese fermented meat sausages. The phenotypic analysis of LAB isolates indicated diverse acidification capacities, proteolytic activities, and inhibitory effects against foodborne pathogens Listeria (L.) monocytogenes, Salmonella (S.) Typhimurium and Staphylococcus (S.) aureus. Overall, lactobacilli displayed high inhibition activity against the pathogens S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, and S. Typhimurium. Although the mechanisms for the inhibition of pathogen growth need to be further elucidated, these findings enhance our understanding of LAB diversity and functionality in alheira sausages, contributing to product safety and quality. Full article
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13 pages, 1973 KiB  
Article
Antimicrobial Effect of Moringa oleifera Leaves Extract on Foodborne Pathogens in Ground Beef
by Reda Abdallah, Nader Y. Mostafa, Ghada A. K. Kirrella, Ibrahim Gaballah, Kálmán Imre, Adriana Morar, Viorel Herman, Khalid Ibrahim Sallam and Hend Ali Elshebrawy
Foods 2023, 12(4), 766; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040766 - 09 Feb 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4476
Abstract
Consumers nowadays are becoming more aware of the importance of using only meat products containing safe and natural additives. Hence, using natural food additives for extending the shelf life of meat along with delaying microbial growth has become an urgent issue. Given the [...] Read more.
Consumers nowadays are becoming more aware of the importance of using only meat products containing safe and natural additives. Hence, using natural food additives for extending the shelf life of meat along with delaying microbial growth has become an urgent issue. Given the increasingly popular view of Moringa oleifera leaves as a traditional remedy and also the scarcity of published data concerning its antimicrobial effect against foodborne pathogens in meat and meat products, we designed the present study to investigate the antimicrobial effect of Moringa oleifera leaves aqueous extract (0.5%, 1%, and 2%) on ground beef during refrigerated storage at 4 °C for 18 days. MLE revealed potent antimicrobial properties against spoilage bacteria, such as aerobic plate count and Enterobacteriaceae count. MLE 2% showed a significant (p < 0.01) reduction in the counts of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus artificially inoculated to ground beef by 6.54, 5.35, and 5.40 log10 CFU/g, respectively, compared to control, by the 18th day of storage. Moringa leaves extract (MLE) had no adverse effect on the overall acceptability and other sensory attributes; moreover, it induced a slight improvement in the tenderness and juiciness of treated ground beef, compared to the control. Therefore, MLE can be used as a healthy, natural, and safe preservative to increase meat products’ safety, quality, and shelf stability during cold storage. A promising approach for using natural food additives rather than chemical preservatives could begin new frontiers in the food industry, as they are more safe and do not constitute health risks to consumers. Full article
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9 pages, 774 KiB  
Article
Salmonella spp. Response to Lytic Bacteriophage and Lactic Acid on Marinated and Tenderized Raw Pork Loins
by Sherita Li, Haley M. Konoval, Samantha Marecek, Amanda A. Lathrop and Siroj Pokharel
Foods 2022, 11(6), 879; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11060879 - 19 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2458
Abstract
Bacterial food poisoning cases due to Salmonella have been linked with a variety of pork products. This study evaluated the effects of a Salmonella-specific lytic bacteriophage and lactic acid (LA) on Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Montevideo, and Salmonella Heidelberg growth on raw pork [...] Read more.
Bacterial food poisoning cases due to Salmonella have been linked with a variety of pork products. This study evaluated the effects of a Salmonella-specific lytic bacteriophage and lactic acid (LA) on Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Montevideo, and Salmonella Heidelberg growth on raw pork loins. Pork loins were cut into approximately 4 cm thick slices. Pork slices were randomly assigned to five treatment groups (control, DI water, LA 2.5%, phage 5%, and LA 2.5% + phage 5%) with six slices per group per replication. Pork loins were inoculated with 106 CFU/mL of Salmonella spp. and stored at 4 °C for 30 min. After 1 h of treatment application and marination, phage 5% significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the surface bacterial population by 2.30 logs when compared with the control group. Moreover, the combined treatment of LA 2.5% + phage 5% significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the surface bacterial population by more than 2.36 logs after 1 h of marination. In the post-tenderization surface samples, the combination of both phage and LA showed a significant reduction (p < 0.05) when compared with the control group. However, the treatments had no effect (p > 0.05) when analyzing the translocation of pathogens on pork loins. Full article
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