Growth and survival of Staphylococcus aureus on beef jerky as a function of temperature

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of temperature on the growth and survival of Staphylococcus aureus and the possibility of enterotoxin A (SEA) production on beef jerky with a water activity (Aw) of 0.78. Beef jerky without seasoning was inoculated with S. aureus producing enterotoxin A at a concentration of approximately 3–4 log cfu/g and stored aerobically at a temperature range of 10°C to 35°C. A modified Gompertz and Weibull model was used to obtain growth and survival kinetics, respectively, and SEA was measured using a Ridascreen SET Total Kit. Growth and survival of S. aureus on beef jerky was observed at temperatures above 21°C and below 19°C, respectively. The maximum population density was observed, but no SEA production was observed above 25°C. Despite the low Aw of beef jerky, the growth of S. aureus was observed above 21°C, indicating that additional safeguards should be considered to reduce the risk of S. aureus in beef jerky in the retail market. Practical applications Staphylococcus aureus can survive in beef jerky with low Aw of 0.78 and even grow at temperatures above 21°C, indicating that beef jerky with low Aw may present a public health risk. Thus, distribution temperature must be reevaluated for the safety of beef jerky in the retail market.

Characterization of the Inclusion Complexes of Isothiocyanates with γ-Cyclodextrin for Improvement of Antibacterial Activities against Staphylococcus aureus

“…The primary models are developed using the modified Gompertz model, which is applied to a number of predictive models with modified equations. It has been adapted to assess the growth of S. aureus in animal foods such as raw beef, beef jerky, and smoked chicken [ 32 , 56 , 57 ]. In this study, chicken breasts were inoculated with S. aureus , treated with BITC and γ-CD-BITC, and stored at 10, 15, 20, and 25 °C.…”

Effect of Water Activity, Yuza (<i>Citrus junos</i> Sieb. ex Tanaka) Powder and the Mixture of Sodium Lactate and Sodium Acetate on Quality and Safety in Beef Jerky

“…According to the work by Ingham and others [23], S. aureus and L. monocytogenes in vacuum packaged beef jerky rapidly decreased at A w 0.87 compared to A w 0.63, suggesting that other factors, such as seasoning, smoke compounds, besides A w affected S. aureus behavior. A recent study reported that S. aureus grew in commercial aerobically packaged beef jerky with an A w of 0.78 at temperatures above 21˚C [7].…”

“…Beef jerky is a popular snack in many countries. Recently, various jerky products with different types of meats and seasonings have been introduced in on-and jerky (A w 0.78) at temperatures above 21˚C [7]. Jerky products are associated; not only foodborne outbreaks but also with spoilage problems resulting from mold growth [8].…”

Attachment characteristics and kinetics of biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus on ready‐to‐eat cooked beef contact surfaces

“…This is especially concerning for contaminated RTE meat products because S. aureus may multiply to significant numbers to produce pathogenic enterotoxins in retail products (Alibayov et al., 2015; Cruzen et al., 2022; Lin et al., 2017). Previous studies have shown that RTE beef products face a serious threat of S. aureus contamination during processing, transportation, storage, and retail display due to their weak bactericidal strength and lack of packaging (Gong et al., 2021; Kim et al., 2018; S. Yang et al., 2018).…”