Kinetic analysis of Listeria monocytogenes inactivation by high pressure carbon dioxide

High pressure carbon dioxide (HPCD) inactivation kinetics (D and z values) of Listeria monocytogenes in model solutions of brain heart infusion broth (BHIB) and physiological saline (PS) were evaluated from 1.51 to 6.05 MPa at 25 degrees C. The come-up time to reach a pressure exerts an important effect on the survival of L. monocytogenes. Inactivation followed first-order reaction kinetics, with specific inactivation rates (k) and decimal reduction times (D) that varied from 0.0668 to 0.5375 min(-1) and from 34.49 to 4.31 min, respectively. The pressure dependence of the L. monocytogenes specific inactivation rates can be described by the z value depending on the model solutions PS and BHIB. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.