The population of inoculated Escherichia coli O157:H7 was monitored during the manufacture and storage of a semidry beef summer sausage processed by fermentation and cooking at a low temperature by heating to an internal temperature of 130 degrees F (54 degrees C). The all-beef batter (11% fat and nonmeat ingredients) was inoculated with the commercial starter culture Pediococcus acidilactici HP (greater than or equal to 8.6 log CFU/g of batter) and a five-strain mixture of E. coli O157:H7 (greater than or equal to 7 log CFU/g) and then hand stuffed into 2.5-inch (64-mm) diameter fibrous casings. The sausages were fermented at an initial temperature of 85 degrees F (29 degrees C) to a final temperature of 105 degrees F (41 degrees C) over ca. 13 h at 80% relative humidity (RH) to pH 4.6 or pH 5.0. After fermentation to pH 4.6, the internal temperature of the chubs was raised to 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) instantaneous over 3.6 h at 60% RH. After fermentation to pH 5.0, the internal temperature of the chubs was raised to 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) over 3.6 h at 60% RH and the chubs were maintained under these conditions for 0, 30, or 60 min. The chubs were cold water showered for 15 min and then chilled at 39 degrees F (4 degrees C) for 6 h before being vacuum packaged and stored at 39 degrees F (4 degrees C) or 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) for 7 days. Regardless of the target pH, fermentation alone resulted in only a 1.39-log CFU/g decrease in pathogen numbers. However, fermentation to pH 4.6 and heating to an internal temperature of 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) instantaneous reduced counts of E. coli O157:H7 by greater than or equal to 7.0 log units to below detection levels (<10 CFU/g). Pathogen numbers remained below levels detectable by direct plating, but viable E. coli O157:H7 cells were recovered by enrichment of samples during sausage storage at either refrigeration or abuse temperatures. In contrast, fermentation to pH 5.0 and heating to an internal temperature of 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) instantaneous resulted in a 3.2-log-unit decrease in counts of E. coli O157:H7. No appreciable reductions in pathogen numbers were observed thereafter following storage at either 39 degrees F (4 degrees C) or 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) for 7 days. Fermentation to pH 5.0 and heating to an internal temperature of 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) instantaneous followed by holding for 30 or 60 min resulted in about a 5- or 7-log reduction, respectively, in pathogen numbers. For chubs held for 30 min at 130 degrees F (54 degrees C), pathogen numbers decreased to 2.02 and <1.0 log CFU/g at 39 degrees F (4 degrees C) and 77 degrees F (25 degrees C), respectively, after 7 days; viable cells were only observed by enrichment after storage at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). For chubs held for 60 min at 130 degrees F (54 degrees C), pathogen numbers remained below levels detectable by direct plating, but viable cells were recoverable by enrichment after 7 days at both storage temperatures. These data will be useful guidelines to manufacturers for developing processing conditions to further ensure the safety of this category of fermented sausages relative to food-borne pathogens such as serotype O157:H7 strains of E. coli.
