ALTERNATIVE FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES

The overall goal of this project is to determine the inactivation kinetics for foodborne pathogens suspended in foods treated using nonthermal process interventions (e.g., ionizing radiation and high pressure processing). 1. Determine gamma radiation D10 values of foodborne pathogens in ground meat and poultry with emphasis on a genetically-diverse set of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC). 2. Determine the effect of product temperature on the radiation resistance of foodborne pathogens suspended in ground meat and poultry products with emphasis on Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC). 3. Determine the high pressure processing inactivation kinetics of foodborne pathogens in ground meat and poultry with emphasis on a genetically-diverse set of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC).