Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on Frozen Vegetables during Long-term Storage at −18 and −10°C
Two recent listeriosis outbreaks have occurred in the United States and Europe due to contaminated individually quick-frozen (IQF) vegetables. While one of the outbreaks was due to frozen vegetables considered ready-to-eat (RTE), the other was linked to frozen corn whose packaging contained cooking...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Food Protection |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X24000085 |
| _version_ | 1827330815933022208 |
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| author | Megan L. Fay Joelle K. Salazar Diana S. Stewart Bashayer A. Khouja Xinyi Zhou Atin R. Datta |
| author_facet | Megan L. Fay Joelle K. Salazar Diana S. Stewart Bashayer A. Khouja Xinyi Zhou Atin R. Datta |
| author_sort | Megan L. Fay |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Two recent listeriosis outbreaks have occurred in the United States and Europe due to contaminated individually quick-frozen (IQF) vegetables. While one of the outbreaks was due to frozen vegetables considered ready-to-eat (RTE), the other was linked to frozen corn whose packaging contained cooking instructions and was considered not-ready-to-eat (NRTE). However, consumers may thaw certain frozen vegetables and consume without cooking. Since no data is available on the survivability of L. monocytogenes on IQF vegetables during frozen storage, this study examined the population of six different strains (comprising lineages 1/2a, 1/2b, and 4b) on IQF vegetables during long-term storage. Individual strains were inoculated onto an IQF vegetable mix at 4 log CFU/g and stored at −18 or −10°C for 360 days. Although fluctuations in populations of all strains were observed on the vegetables during storage, no significant differences based on strain, lineages, or temperature were observed. Overall, L. monocytogenes populations were only reduced by up to 0.47 and 0.59 log CFU/g after 360 days at −18 and −10°C, respectively. Results from this study suggest that L. monocytogenes is able to persist on IQF vegetables for extended time periods with no significant reduction in population. Future studies could evaluate the survival and growth of L. monocytogenes on IQF vegetables during thawing and storage. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:23:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e3b3136410149d7a193cbca25a5448c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0362-028X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:23:52Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Food Protection |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e3b3136410149d7a193cbca25a5448c2024-03-04T04:11:55ZengElsevierJournal of Food Protection0362-028X2024-03-01873100224Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on Frozen Vegetables during Long-term Storage at −18 and −10°CMegan L. Fay0Joelle K. Salazar1Diana S. Stewart2Bashayer A. Khouja3Xinyi Zhou4Atin R. Datta5Division of Food Processing Science and Technology, U. S. Food and Drug Administration, Bedford Park, IL, USADivision of Food Processing Science and Technology, U. S. Food and Drug Administration, Bedford Park, IL, USA; Corresponding author.Division of Food Processing Science and Technology, U. S. Food and Drug Administration, Bedford Park, IL, USADivision of Food Processing Science and Technology, U. S. Food and Drug Administration, Bedford Park, IL, USAIllinois Institute of Technology, Institute for Food Safety and Health / Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Bedford Park, IL, USADivision of Produce Safety, U. S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD, USATwo recent listeriosis outbreaks have occurred in the United States and Europe due to contaminated individually quick-frozen (IQF) vegetables. While one of the outbreaks was due to frozen vegetables considered ready-to-eat (RTE), the other was linked to frozen corn whose packaging contained cooking instructions and was considered not-ready-to-eat (NRTE). However, consumers may thaw certain frozen vegetables and consume without cooking. Since no data is available on the survivability of L. monocytogenes on IQF vegetables during frozen storage, this study examined the population of six different strains (comprising lineages 1/2a, 1/2b, and 4b) on IQF vegetables during long-term storage. Individual strains were inoculated onto an IQF vegetable mix at 4 log CFU/g and stored at −18 or −10°C for 360 days. Although fluctuations in populations of all strains were observed on the vegetables during storage, no significant differences based on strain, lineages, or temperature were observed. Overall, L. monocytogenes populations were only reduced by up to 0.47 and 0.59 log CFU/g after 360 days at −18 and −10°C, respectively. Results from this study suggest that L. monocytogenes is able to persist on IQF vegetables for extended time periods with no significant reduction in population. Future studies could evaluate the survival and growth of L. monocytogenes on IQF vegetables during thawing and storage.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X24000085Blanched frozen vegetablesListeriaPersistence |
| spellingShingle | Megan L. Fay Joelle K. Salazar Diana S. Stewart Bashayer A. Khouja Xinyi Zhou Atin R. Datta Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on Frozen Vegetables during Long-term Storage at −18 and −10°C Journal of Food Protection Blanched frozen vegetables Listeria Persistence |
| title | Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on Frozen Vegetables during Long-term Storage at −18 and −10°C |
| title_full | Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on Frozen Vegetables during Long-term Storage at −18 and −10°C |
| title_fullStr | Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on Frozen Vegetables during Long-term Storage at −18 and −10°C |
| title_full_unstemmed | Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on Frozen Vegetables during Long-term Storage at −18 and −10°C |
| title_short | Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on Frozen Vegetables during Long-term Storage at −18 and −10°C |
| title_sort | survival of listeria monocytogenes on frozen vegetables during long term storage at 18 and 10°c |
| topic | Blanched frozen vegetables Listeria Persistence |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X24000085 |
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