scholarly journals Heat Resistance in Escherichia coli and its Implications on Ground Beef Cooking Recommendations in Canada

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Yang ◽  
F. Tran ◽  
M. Klasse

ObjectivesRecent reports of an extremely heat resistant but non-pathogenic beef Escherichia coli strain, AW 1.7, raised concerns over the adequacy of cooking ground beef to 71°C in Canada. The objective of this study was to assess the adequacy of the current cooking recommendations for ground beef in relation to heat resistant E. coli.Materials and MethodsIn total, 8 potentially heat resistant E. coli strains (4 generic and 4 E. coli O157:H7) from beef along with E. coli AW1.7 were included in this study. Heat resistance of the strains was first evaluated by decimal reductions at 60°C (D60°C-value), the time required to have a log reduction of the bacterial population at 60°C. The more heat resistant strains of each group (E. coli 62 and 68, and E. coli O157 J3 and C37) were further assessed for their heat resistance when grown in Lennox Broth without salt (LB-NS), LB + 2% NaCl and Meat Juice (MJ). Then, the two most heat resistant E. coli O157 strains (J3 and C37) and E. coli AW 1.7 were each introduced to extra lean ground beef (100 g) in vacuum pouches for determination of their D-values at three temperatures, 54, 57, and 60°C, from which a z-value for each strain was derived. The thermal characteristics of all three strains were fed into a predictive model to determine the process lethality of cooking burgers to 71°C with resting for up to 5 min. Finally, inactivation of the most heat resistant E. coli strain AW1.7, assessed in this study and reported in the literature, in ground beef was validated by grilling burgers containing 6.20 ± 0.24 log CFU/g of the organism to 71°C without or with a resting of 3 or 5 min.ResultsThe D60°C-values for these strains varied from 1.3 to 9.0 min, with J3 and AW1.7 being the least and most heat resistant strains, respectively. The D60°C-values for E. coli 62 and 68 were similar and were not affected by growth medium, while the heat resistance of C37, J3 and AW1.7 varied with the growth medium. When heated in extra lean ground beef (100 g) in vacuum pouches, the mean D54°C, D57°C, and D60°C-values were 44.8, 18.6 and 2.9 min for C37, 13.8, 6.9 and 0.9 min for J3, and 40.5, 9.1 6.1 min for AW1.7. The derived z- and D71°C-values were, respectively, 5.0, 5.1 and 7.3°C; and 0.022, 0.008, and 0.156 min. Burger temperatures continued to rise after being removed from heat when the target temperature was reached, by up to 5°C, and resting of 1 min would result in a destruction of 133, 374, and 14 log C37, J3 and AW1.7, estimated from process lethality. When burgers inoculated with AW1.7 were cooked to 71°C, 14 of the 15 burgers yielded no E. coli, while the 15th had a reduction of 4.5 log. Additional resting of 3 or 5 min resulted in complete elimination of AW 1.7.ConclusionIt has been predicted that 2% of E. coli from beef may carry heat resistant genes. The findings in this study, along with the very low level of total E. coli expected in ground beef in Canada, suggest that cooking ground beef to 71°C should be adequate to ensure the safety of such products.

2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
YANG LIU ◽  
ALEX GILL ◽  
LYNN McMULLEN ◽  
MICHAEL G. GÄNZLE

This study evaluated the heat and pressure resistance of 112 strains of Escherichia coli, including 102 strains of verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) representing 23 serotypes and four phylogenetic groups. In an initial screening, the heat and pressure resistance of 100 strains, including 94 VTEC strains, were tested in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Treatment at 60°C for 5 min reduced cell counts by 2.0 to 5.5 log CFU/ml; treatment at 600 MPa for 3 min at 25°C reduced the cell counts by 1.1 to 5.5 log CFU/ml. Heat or pressure resistance did not correlate to the phylogenetic group or the serotype. A smaller group of E. coli strains was evaluated for heat and pressure resistance in Luria-Bertani (LB) broth. Generally, the levels of heat resistance of E. coli strains in LB and PBS were similar; however, the levels of pressure resistance observed for treatments in LB broth or PBS were variable. The cell counts of pressure-resistant strains of VTEC were reduced by less than 1.5 log CFU/ml after treatment at 600 MPa for 3 min. E. coli strains were also treated with 600 MPa for 3 min in ground beef or inoculated into beef patties and grilled to 63 or 71°C. The cell counts of the VTEC E. coli O26:H11 strain 05-6544 were reduced by 2 log CFU/g by pressure treatment in ground beef. The cell counts of the heat-resistant E. coli strain AW1.7 were reduced by 1.4 and 3.4 log CFU/g in beef patties grilled to internal temperatures of 63 and 71°C, respectively. The cell counts of E. coli 05-6544 were reduced by less than 3 and 6 log CFU/g in beef patties grilled to internal temperatures of 63 and 71°C, respectively. To study whether the composition of the beef patties influenced heat resistance, E. coli strains AW1.7, AW1.7ΔpHR1, MG1655, and LMM1030 were mixed into beef patties containing 15 or 35% fat and 0 or 2% NaCl, and the patties were grilled to an internal temperature of 63°C. The highest heat resistance of E. coli was observed in patties containing 15% fat and 2% NaCl.


1980 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 376-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. SINGH ◽  
B. RANGANATHAN

Three Escherichia coli cultures (0111:B4, 0127:B8 and NP) were selected to study their heat-resistant characteristics when in cow skim, cow whole and buffalo whole milk. The temperatures of heat-treatment included in this study were 50, 55, 60 and 63 C. The time interval during heat-treatment was 10 min at 50 and 55 C and 5 min at 60 and 63 C. Marked differences in heat-resistance were observed in the three E. coli cultures. The z-values obtained for strain 0111:B4 were 8.3, 9.0 and 10.2 when tested in cow skim milk, cow whole milk and buffalo milk, respectively. The z-values for 0127:B8 and NP were 17.5, 18.0 and 19.2 and 18.8, 19.0 and 20.3, respectively, for the three types of milk.


2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 1802-1807 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. HARRIS ◽  
M. F. MILLER ◽  
G. H. LONERAGAN ◽  
M. M. BRASHEARS

A study was conducted to determine if acidified sodium chlorite (1,200 ppm) and acetic and lactic acids (2 and 4%) were effective in reducing foodborne pathogens in beef trim prior to grinding in a simulated processing environment. The reduction of Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 at high (4.0 log CFU/g) and low (1.0 log CFU/g) inoculation doses was evaluated at various processing steps, including the following: (i) in trim just after treatment application, (ii) in ground beef just after grinding, (iii) in ground beef 24 h after refrigerated storage, (iv) in ground beef 5 days after refrigerated storage, and (v) in ground beef 30 days after frozen storage. All antimicrobial treatments reduced the pathogens on the trim inoculated with the lower inoculation dose to nondetectable numbers in the trim and in the ground beef. There were significant reductions of both pathogens in the trim and in the ground beef inoculated with the high inoculation doses. On the trim itself, E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium were reduced by 1.5 to 2.0 log cycles, with no differences among all treatments. In the ground beef, the organic acids were more effective in reducing both pathogens than the acidified sodium chlorite immediately after grinding, but after 1 day of storage, there were no differences among treatments. Overall, in the ground beef, there was a 2.5-log reduction of E. coli O157:H7 and a 1.5-log reduction of Salmonella Typhimurium that was sustained over time in refrigerated and frozen storage. Very few sensory differences between the control samples and the treated samples were detected by a consumer panel. Thus, antimicrobial treatments did not cause serious adverse sensory changes. Use of these antimicrobial treatments can be a promising intervention available to ground beef processors who currently have few interventions in their process.


1996 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 230-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIMOTHY C. JACKSON ◽  
MARGARET D. HARDIN ◽  
GARY R. ACUFF

Stationary-phase cultures of Escherichia coli O157:H7 were inoculated into tryptic soy broth, sealed in vials, and stored at −18°C for 1, 8, and 15 days, or 3 or 15°C for 3, 6, and 9 h. Thermal resistance was determined at 55°C. Each storage treatment was repeated with additional holding at 23 or 30°C for 1, 2, 3, or 4 h prior to heating to simulate potential temperature abuse during handling. Cultures under treatments enabling the growth of E. coli O157:H7 were generally more heat sensitive than those held at temperatures which restricted growth or enabled growth to stationary phase. Cultures stored frozen (−18°C) without holding at elevated temperatures had greater heat resistance than those stored under refrigeration (3°C) or at 15°C. Subsequent holding of frozen cultures at 23 or 30°C resulted in a decrease in heat resistance. To determine whether these responses would be observed under typical commercial preparation procedures, ground beef patties were inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 and stored at 3 or 15°C for 9 h or at −18°C for 8 d and then held at 21 or 30°C for 0 or 4 h. Patties were grilled to an internal temperature of 54.4°C (130°F), 62.8°C (145°F), or 68.3°C (155°F). Cultures were most resistant in frozen patties, while cultures in patties stored at 15°C were the most heat sensitive. Holding patties at 21 or 30°C prior to grilling resulted in increased sensitivity. Storage and holding temperatures similar to those encountered in food service may influence the ability of E. coli O157:H7 to survive heat treatments.


Biomolecules ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Sadaka ◽  
Peter Damborg ◽  
Jeffrey L. Watts

Antibiotic discovery is vital when considering the increasing antimicrobial resistance threat. The aim of this work was to provide a high-throughput screen (HTS) assay using multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli strains to enable further research into antimicrobial lead discovery and identify novel antimicrobials. This study describes a primary HTS of a diverse library of 7884 small molecules against a susceptible E. coli strain. A secondary screening of 112 molecules against four E. coli strains with different susceptibility profiles revealed NSC319726 as a potential antimicrobial lead serving as a novel template. NSC319726 is a good candidate for an analoguing program.


2000 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHIA-MIN LIN ◽  
JEONGMOK KIM ◽  
WEN-XIAN DU ◽  
CHENG-I WEI

The bactericidal activity of allyl and methyl isothiocyanate (AITC and MITC) was tested with a rifampicin-resistant strain of Salmonella Montevideo and streptomycin-resistant strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes Scott A. Iceberg lettuce inoculated with high (107 to 108 CFU/g) and low (103 to 104 CFU/g) concentrations of bacterial pathogens was treated with AITC and MITC in sealed containers at 4°C for 4 days. AITC showed stronger bactericidal activity than MITC against E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Montevideo, whereas MITC showed stronger activity against L. monocytogenes than E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Montevideo. Up to 8-log reduction occurred with E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Montevideo on lettuce following treatment with vapor generated from 400 μl of AITC for 2 and 4 days, respectively. AITC was used to treat tomatoes inoculated with Salmonella Montevideo on stem scars and skin and apples inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 on stem scars. The bactericidal effect of AITC varied with bacteria species and exposure time. Salmonella Montevideo inoculated on tomato skin was more sensitive to AITC than that on stem scars. Treatment with vapor generated from 500 μl of AITC caused an 8-log reduction in bacteria on tomato skin but only a 5-log reduction on tomato stem scars. The bactericidal activity of AITC was weaker for E. coli O157:H7 on apple stem scars; only a 3-log reduction in bacteria occurred when 600 μl of AITC was used.


2008 ◽  
Vol 71 (7) ◽  
pp. 1349-1356 ◽  
Author(s):  
AVIK MUKHERJEE ◽  
YOHAN YOON ◽  
KEITH E. BELK ◽  
JOHN A. SCANGA ◽  
GARY C. SMITH ◽  
...  

Internalization of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in nonintact beef products during mechanical tenderization or during injection of marination and tenderization ingredients is of concern if such products are undercooked. This study tested organic acids (0.2% citric acid and 0.3% acetic acid), potassium and calcium salts (1.8% potassium lactate, 0.63% calcium lactate, 0.86% calcium ascorbate, and 0.23% calcium chloride), and sodium chloride (2.5%) for their influence on thermal destruction of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef serving as a model system. Ground beef batches (700 g; 5% fat) were mixed with equal volumes (22 ml) of each treatment solution or distilled water and portions (30 g) of treated ground beef were extruded in test tubes (2.5 by 10 cm). A five-strain mixture of E. coli O157:H7 (0.3 ml; 7 log CFU/g) was introduced at the center of the sample with a pipette. After overnight storage (4°C), simulating product marination, samples were heated to 60 or 65°C internal temperature, simulating rare and medium rare doneness of beef, in a circulating water bath. At 65°C, treatments with citric and acetic acid showed greater (P < 0.05) reduction (4 to 5 log CFU/g) of E. coli O157:H7 than all the other ingredients and the control (3 to 4 log CFU/g). Sodium chloride reduced weight losses (16 to 18% compared with 20 to 27% by citric or acetic acid) and resulted in a 4-log reduction in counts during cooking to 65°C. Ingredients such as citric or acetic acid may improve thermal inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 internalized in nonintact beef products, while sodium chloride may reduce cooking losses in such products.


1997 ◽  
Vol 60 (9) ◽  
pp. 1128-1131 ◽  
Author(s):  
NICOLE C. WILLIAMS ◽  
STEVEN C. INGHAM

This study examined the effects of a heat shock at 45°C for 30 min on the subsequent heat resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 ATCC 43894 in Trypticase soy broth (TSB) and ground beef slurry (GBS). Cultures were grown to stationary phase, stored for 24 h at 4 to 6°C, and then heat shocked to simulate consumer mishandling of meat during the summer. Control or heat-shocked ATCC 43894 cells were then transferred to prewarmed TSB (54, 58, and 62°C) or GBS (58°C) and refrigerated TSB and GBS that were subsequently heated to and held at 58°C (TSB and GBS) and 62°C (TSB only). Heat shock increased D values by 37, 68, and 50% in 54, 58, and 62°C prewarmed TSB, respectively, but had no significant effect on the D value in 58°C GBS. Immediate plating of heated samples yielded greater cell recovery than if samples were held on ice prior to plating. Heat shock did not lead to significant increases in D values when cells were transferred to 4°C TSB and GBS that were heated to the test temperature. This study showed that for E. coli O157:H7 ATCC 43894 the heat-shock effect was lost upon subsequent chilling and rewarming and overshadowed by the protective effects of ground beef constituents. The results do not support the hypothesis that short-term temperature abuse will significantly increase the heat resistance of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef.


2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peipei Zhang ◽  
Frances Tran ◽  
Kim Stanford ◽  
Xianqin Yang

ABSTRACT Decontamination practices, which often involve thermal treatments, are routinely performed in beef packing plants and have generally improved the safety of meat in North America. We investigated whether Escherichia coli in the beef production chain is becoming more heat resistant due to those treatments. Cattle isolates (n = 750) included seven serogroups (O157, O103, O111, O121, O145, O26, and O45) which were collected between 2002 and 2017. Beef plant isolates (n = 700) from carcasses, fabrication equipment, and beef products were included. Heat resistance was determined in Luria-Bertani broth at 60°C and by PCR screening for the locus of heat resistance (LHR). The decimal reduction for E. coli at 60°C (D60ºC values) ranged from 0 to 7.54 min, with 97.2% of the values being <2 min. The prevalence of E. coli with D60ºC values of >2 min was not significantly different (P > 0.05) among cattle and meat plant isolates. E. coli from equipment before sanitation (median, 1.03 min) was more heat resistant than that after sanitation (median, 0.9 min). No significant difference in D60ºC values was observed among E. coli isolates from different years, from carcasses before and after antimicrobial interventions, or from before and during carcass chilling. Of all isolates, 1.97% harbored LHR, and the LHR-positive isolates had greater median D60ºC values than the LHR-negative isolates (3.25 versus 0.96 min). No increase in heat resistance in E. coli was observed along the beef production chain or with time. IMPORTANCE The implementation of multiple hurdles in the beef production chain has resulted in substantial improvement in the microbial safety of beef in Canada. In this study, we characterized a large number of Escherichia coli isolates (n = 1,450) from various sources/stages of beef processing to determine whether the commonly used antimicrobial interventions would give rise to heat-resistant E. coli on meat, which in turn may require alternatives to the current control of pathogens and/or modifications to the current cooking recommendations for meat. The findings show that the degree and rate of heat resistance in E. coli did not increase along the production chain or with time. This furthers our understanding of man-made ecological niches that are required for the development of heat resistance in E. coli.


2013 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 674-679 ◽  
Author(s):  
AMANDA R. SMITH ◽  
ALYSHA L. ELLISON ◽  
AMANDA L. ROBINSON ◽  
MARYANNE DRAKE ◽  
SUSAN A. McDOWELL ◽  
...  

Quality control procedures during food processing may involve direct inoculation of food samples onto appropriate selective media for subsequent enumeration. However, sublethally injured bacteria often fail to grow, enabling them to evade detection and intervention measures and ultimately threaten the health of consumers. This study compares traditional selective and nonselective agar-based overlays versus two commercial systems (Petrifilm and Easygel) for recovery of injured E. coli B-41560 and O157:H7 strains. Bacteria were propagated in tryptic soy broth (TSB), ground beef slurry, and infant milk formula to a density of 106 to 108 CFU/ml and then were stressed for 6 min either in lactic acid (pH 4.5) or heat shocked for 3 min at 60°C. Samples were pour plated in basal layers of either tryptic soy agar (TSA), sorbitol MacConkey agar (SMAC), or violet red bile agar (VRB) and were resuscitated for 4 h prior to addition of agar overlays. Other stressed bacteria were plated directly onto Petrifilm and Easygel. Results indicate that selective and nonselective agar overlays recovered significantly higher numbers (greater than 1 log) of acid-and heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 from TSB, ground beef, and infant milk formula compared with direct plating onto selective media, Petrifilm, or Easygel, while no significant differences among these media combinations were observed for stressed E. coli B-41560. Nonstressed bacteria from TSB and ground beef were also recovered at densities significantly higher in nonselective TSA-TSA and in VRB-VRB and SMAC-SMAC compared with Petrifilm and Easygel. These data underscore the need to implement food safety measures that address sublethally injured pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 in order to avoid underestimation of true densities for target pathogens.


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