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Growth of Salmonella serovars, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Staphylococcus aureus during thawing of whole chicken and retail ground beef portions at 22 and 30 °C.

Author(s) : INGHAM S. C., WADHERA R. K., FANSLAU M. A., et al.

Type of article: Article

Summary

Food regulatory agencies advise against thawing frozen meat and poultry at room temperature. In this study, whole chickens (1670 g) and ground beef (453 and 1359 g) were inoculated with Salmonella serovars, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Staphylococcus aureus on the surface (all products) and in the centre (ground beef). After freezing at -20 °C for 24 h, products were thawed at 22 or 30 °C for 9 h. Pathogen growth was predicted using product time and temperature data and growth values from the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Pathogen Modelling Program 7.0 predictive models of pathogen growth. No pathogen growth was predicted for whole chicken or 1359 g of ground beef thawed at 30 °C or 453 g of ground beef thawed at 22 °C. Growth was predicted for 453 g of ground beef at 30°C. Inoculation study data corroborated the predictions. No growth occurred on whole chickens or 1359-g portions of ground beef thawed at 30 °C for 9 h. Pathogen numbers increased an average of 0.2 to 0.5 log on the surface of 453-g ground beef portions thawed for 9 h at 22 or 30 °C. These results suggest that thawing greater than or equal to 1670 g of whole chicken at lower than or equal to 30 °C for less than or equal to 9 h and thawing less than 453 g ground beef portions at less than or equal to 22 °C for less than or equal to 9 h are not particularly hazardous practices. Thawing smaller portions at higher temperatures and/or for longer times cannot be recommended, however. Use of values derived from the Pathogen Modelling Program 7.0 model provided realistic predictions of pathogen growth during thawing of frozen ground beef and chicken.

Details

  • Original title: Growth of Salmonella serovars, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Staphylococcus aureus during thawing of whole chicken and retail ground beef portions at 22 and 30 °C.
  • Record ID : 2006-0854
  • Languages: English
  • Source: Journal of Food Protection - vol. 68 - n. 7
  • Publication date: 2005/07

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