EXTRUSION AND LOW-DOSE IRRADIATION EFFECTS ON DESTRUCTION OF CLOSTRIDIUM-SPOROGENES SPORES IN A BEEF-BASED PRODUCT

The effects of extrusion cooking alone or in combination with electron beam radiation (3.5 kGy) on vacuum-packaged beef-based snack sticks c ontaining beef cardiac muscle were investigated. During formulation, C lostridium sporogenes PA 3679 spores were added to achieve a concentra tion of 4 log CFU/g. Twin-screw extrusion cooking at 72 degrees C redu ced aerobic plate counts (APCs) by 3.63 log cycles and C. sporogenes v iable cell counts by 2.02 log cycles for the inoculated product. After irradiation (3.5 kGy), APCs were decreased to 1 log CFU/g when compar ed to 0 kGy counterparts receiving 0 kGy. Spores were not detected in irradiated inoculated samples, which contained C. sporogenes PA 3679 a t levels of 3.17 to 3.50 log CFU/g after extrusion cooking.