Establishment of Minimum Operational Parameters for a High-Volume Static Chamber Steam Pasteurization System (SPS 400-SC^™) for Beef Carcasses to Support HACCP Programs

Abstract

A static chamber steam pasteurization unit (SPS 400-SC()) was installed in a high-volume commercial beef slaughter facility. The SPS 400-SC consists of a three-phase carcass treatment cycle of water removal, steam pasteurization, and water chilling. Seven chamber temperatures (71.1, 73.9, 76.7, 79.4, 82.2, 85.0, and 87.8 degrees C) were evaluated at the midline area of pre-rigor beef carcasses. For each temperature evaluated, 20 carcass sides were randomly selected and aseptically sampled by tissue excision immediately before and after steam pasteurization to determine total aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, generic E. coli, and total coliform populations. The 87.8 and 85.0 degrees C treatment temperatures were highly effective at reducing total aerobic bacterial populations, with log(10) reductions of 1.4 and 1.5 CFU/cm(2), respectively, from pretreatment mean population levels of 1.7 and 1.9 log10 CFU/cm(2). These temperatures also reduced Enterobacteriaceae, total coliforms, and generic E. coli to undetectable levels (<0.4 CFU/cm(2)) on all carcasses sampled. Treatment at 82.2 was marginally effective at reducing bacterial populations, while 71.1, 73.9, 76.7, and 79.4 degrees C treatments were ineffective at reducing microbial populations. In a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP)-based system employing steam pasteurization of carcasses as a critical control point, a critical limit of 85.0 degrees C as a minimum chamber temperature should be established, with a targeted operating temperature of 87.8 degrees C providing optimum antimicrobial activity.

The efficacy of interventions applied during primary processing on contamination of beef carcasses with Escherichia coli: A systematic review-meta-analysis of the published research

“…Steam pasteurization is frequently recommended as more efficient, safer when commercial safe guards are in place, and requires less waste removal equipment (Nutsch et al, 1997). As a component of a HACCP-based system for beef processing, the critical limit for a minimum steam chamber temperature should be 85.0 C, while 87.8 C is the recommended optimum operating temperature (Retzlaff, Phebus, Kastner, & Marsden, 2005). The potential for selection of resistant bacterial populations with steam pasteurization is reduced if the beef carcass surface temperature can reach >90.5 C instantaneously for a short period of time (Nutsch et al, 1997), as >6 s may cause discoloration of the tissue (Belk, 2001).…”

The potential of the combined application of hot water sprays and steam condensation at subatmospheric pressure for decontaminating inoculated pig skin and muscle surfaces

“…Also, in commercial settings, reductions of > 1 log CFU/cm 2 can be expected (Gill, 2009), but, generally, it is not realistic to assume > 2 log reductions (Corantin et al, 2005;Retzlaff et al, 2005).…”

“…Steam can be applied at superatmospheric (Morgan, Goldberg, Radewonuk, & Scullen, 1996) or atmospheric pressure (Dorsa, Cutter, Siragusa, & Koohmaraie, 1996;James, Thornton, Ketteringham, & James, 2000;Whyte, McGill, & Collins, 2003), either in cabinets or by hand-held steam-vacuum devices (Gill, 2009;Huffman, 2002), effectuating microbial reductions of 1e3 log CFU/cm 2 , depending on the micro-organism studied. While steam-vacuum devices are used to sanitise freshly contaminated, but small areas of the carcass, cabinets can be integrated in slaughterlines to treat whole carcasses (James et al, 2007;Retzlaff, Phebus, Kastner, & Marshden, 2005).…”