SURFACE PASTEURIZATION OF RAW POULTRY MEAT BY STEAM

A device to surface pasteurize meat without producing a cooked appeara nce was built and tested. When inoculated with 10(7) Listeria inocua o rganisms, contamination levels on poultry meat samples were reduced to 10(3) organisms by treatment with steam to 140 degrees C for 50 Ins. The extraordinary rapidity of heating was achieved by condensing pure, thermally saturated steam onto the meat surface in the absence of non condensible gases. Equally rapid surface cooling was then achieved by re-evaporating the condensate on the meat surface back into a vacuum. The best killing was achieved when treatments were repeated. This avoi ded the shadowing effect of the steel mesh cage which held the ment. T he meat surface afforded some protection to the bacteria, compared to a paper surface. The rapidity of the process shows that a practical mo del could keep rip with poultry slaughter line speeds. Such a model, i ncluding a sterile wrapping step, is suggested for poultry pieces and cut meats.