Survival of surface-inoculated Listeria monocytogenes on commercially available frankfurters following gamma irradiation

Frankfurter is a generic term for a cured and cooked sausage, which may con sist of almost any meat type and include a wine variety of nonmeat fillers and additives. When several "brands" or types of commercially available fra nkfurters were surface-inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes and vacuum-pa cked, gamma radiation D-values ranged from 0.49 key to 0.71 key, with an av erage D-value of 0.61 key. Differences in gamma radiation D-value were obse rved for nine of twenty one pair-wise comparisons (alpha = 0.01) as determi ned by analysis of covariance. Therefore, frankfurter formulation mar affec t radiation D-values for surface inoculated L. monocytogenes. If low dose g amma irradiation, cold pasteurization, were to be used for control of L. mo nocytogenes on frankfurters, gamma radiation dosage should be based on indi vidual product formulation.