High hydrostatic pressure inactivation of vegetative microorganisms, aerobic and anaerobic spores in pork Marengo, a low acidic particulate food product

To prolong the shelf-life of particulate food products, high pressure processing is one of the emerging technologies to be studied as an alternative to classical pasteurization and sterilization by heat. Pork Marengo (a low acidic, partially prepared stew of pieces pork, carrots and peas) was inoculated with several strains of sporulating and vegetative microorganisms. The microbial spoilage of the product was evaluated after a high pressure treatment of 400 MPa during 30 min at, respectively, 20 and 50 degreesC. Several Clostridium spp. and Bacillus spp. survived the treatment, and the Gram-positive cocci Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus were revealed to be more pressure resistant than Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens and Escherichia coli. The high pressure treatment at 20 degreesC demonstrated that high pressure processing (HPP) of neutral-pH foods cannot rely on pressure alone as a pasteurization/sterilization process. Another physical agent like heat is needed. High pressure treatment at 50 degreesC demonstrated that heat transfer limitations in particulate food products still can trouble their successful pasteurization/sterilization. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.