Predicting lethal effect of ultrasonic waves under pressure treatments on Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 15313 by power measurements

Power measurements (input power to ultrasound generator, input power to tra nsducer, and ultrasonic power entering the treatment medium) were compared to the inactivation effect of ultrasound under pressure (manosonication, MS ) treatments on Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 15313 in pH 7 citrate-phosphate buffer. A linear relationship was found between the power entering the tre atment medium, measured by a calorimetric method, and the decimal reduction times of L. monocytogenes under different experimental conditions. Therefo re, the lethal effect of MS treatments could be estimated from simple calor imetric measurements.