The influence of growth temperature on heat-, lactic acid-, and freeze-induced inactivation and injury of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in 0.1% peptone water was investigated. Three strains of E. coli O157:H7 isolated respectively from salami, apple cider, and ground beef were evaluated. Growth of strains at 10 degrees C compared with growth at 37 degrees C had a significant impact on reducing (P < 0.01) D values obtained for heating (DH value), acid exposure (DA value), with the exception of the cider strain stored in lactic acid solutions. When strains were cultivated at 10 and 37 degrees C and heated at 54 and 56 degrees C, the salami strain possessed the highest (P < 0.01) DH values (5.9 to 59.7 min). When grown at 10 degrees C, the beef strain had the lowest (P < 0.01) DH values after heating at 52, 54, and 56 degrees C (11.2, 4.1 and 2.5 min, respectively). The salami strain grown at 10 degrees C had the highest (P < 0.01) DA values in all concentrations of lactic acid. When grown at 37 degrees C, the salami strain had the highest (P < 0.01) DA values after storage in 0.1 and 0.25% lactic acid, while DA values for the salami and beef strains did not differ (P > 0.05) when stored in 0.5% lactic acid. Portions of strain populations were sublethally injured by heat and lactic acid treatments, as evidenced by the inability of injured organisms to form colonies on tryptone soy agar containing 2% NaCl. Strains cultured at 10 degrees C were more susceptible to sublethal heat injury than the strains cultured at 37 degrees C. Storage of test strains at -20 degrees C for 7 months resulted in a 4- to 6-log CFU/ml reduction in viable population, but induced only minimal sublethal injury. After 5 months at -20 degrees C, strains cultured at 10 degrees C were more sensitive to freeze inactivation than strains cultured at 37 degrees C. When grown at 10 and cultured at 37 degrees C. When grown at 10 and 37 degrees C and stored at -20 degrees C for 7 months, the cider strain possessed higher (P < 0.01) DF values than the beef and salami strains.

Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in fermenting and nonfermenting fresh apple cider was determined. Populations of E. coli O157:H7 were reduced from 6.4 log CFU/ml to undetectable levels (detection limit of 0.5 log CFU/ml) in fermenting cider after 3 days at 20°C and from 6.5 log CFU/ml to 2.9 log CFU/m1 after 10 days at 20°C in nonfermenting cider. After 1 day of incubation, recovery of E. coli O157:H7 from fermenting and nonfermenting cider was statistically (P &lt; 0.01) lower on sorbitol MacConkey agar than on tryptone soya agar supplemented with cycloheximide. These results suggest that substantial portions of the surviving E. coli O157:H7 populations were sublethally injured by cider components (i.e., acid and ethanol). The pH of fermenting cider was not significantly different (P &gt; 0.05) from that of nonfermenting cider throughout the 10-day test period. Final ethanol concentrations in fermenting cider reached 6.01% (vol/vol) after 10 days at 20°C. Inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 in fermenting cider is attributed to the combined effects of pH and ethanol. Results of this study indicate that E. coli O157:H7 is capable of survival in fresh apple cider at 20°C, while alcoholic fermentation of fresh cider is an effective means of destroying this pathogen.

The effect of atmospheric composition and storage temperature on growth and survival of uninjured and sublethally heat-injured Escherichia coli O157:H7, inoculated onto brain heart infusion agar containing 0.3% beef extract (BEM), was determined. BEM plates were packaged in barrier bags in air, 100% CO2, 100% N2, 20% CO2: 80% N2, and vacuum and were stored at 4, 10, and 37 degrees C for up to 20 days. Package atmosphere and inoculum status (i.e., uninjured or heat-injured) influenced (P < 0.01) growth and survival of E. coli O157:H7 stored at all test temperatures. Growth of heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 was slower (P < 0.01) than uninjured E. coli O157:H7 stored at 37 degrees C. At 37 degrees C, uninjured E. coli O157:H7 reached stationary phase growth earlier than heat-injured populations. Uninjured E. coli O157:H7 grew during 10 days of storage at 10 degrees C, while heat-injured populations declined during 20 days of storage at 10 degrees C. Uninjured E. coli O157:H7 stored at 10 degrees C reached stationary phase growth within approximately 10 days in all packaging atmospheres except CO2. Populations of uninjured and heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 declined throughout storage for 20 days at 4 degrees C. Survival of uninjured populations stored at 4 degrees C, as well as heat-injured populations stored at 4 and 10 degrees C, was enhanced in CO2 atmosphere. Survival of heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 at 4 and 10 degrees C was not different (P > 0.05). Uninjured and heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 are able to survive at low temperatures in the modified atmospheres used in this study.

The effect of atmospheric composition and storage temperature on growth and survival of uninjured and sublethally heat-injured Escherichia coli O157:H7, inoculated onto brain heart infusion agar containing 0.3% beef extract (BEM), was determined. BEM plates were packaged in barrier bags in air, 100% CO2, 100% N2, 20% CO2: 80% N2, and vacuum and were stored at 4, 10, and 37 degrees C for up to 20 days. Package atmosphere and inoculum status (i.e., uninjured or heat-injured) influenced (P < 0.01) growth and survival of E. coli O157:H7 stored at all test temperatures. Growth of heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 was slower (P < 0.01) than uninjured E. coli O157:H7 stored at 37 degrees C. At 37 degrees C, uninjured E. coli O157:H7 reached stationary phase growth earlier than heat-injured populations. Uninjured E. coli O157:H7 grew during 10 days of storage at 10 degrees C, while heat-injured populations declined during 20 days of storage at 10 degrees C. Uninjured E. coli O157:H7 stored at 10 degrees C reached stationary phase growth within approximately 10 days in all packaging atmospheres except CO2. Populations of uninjured and heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 declined throughout storage for 20 days at 4 degrees C. Survival of uninjured populations stored at 4 degrees C, as well as heat-injured populations stored at 4 and 10 degrees C, was enhanced in CO2 atmosphere. Survival of heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 at 4 and 10 degrees C was not different (P > 0.05). Uninjured and heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 are able to survive at low temperatures in the modified atmospheres used in this study.