ROBUSTNESS OF PREDICTIVE MODELS FOR LISTERIA GROWTH AND INACTIVATION IN READY-TO-EAT MEATS AND POULTRY

To conduct: (1) a comprehensive and critical review of published data and models related to growth and thermal inactivation of L. monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, (2) a rigorous cross-validation of published models (both broth-based and product-based) against independent data reported in a wide range of other studies with meat and poultry products, and (3) an evaluation of the relative impact of various intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the accuracy of predictive models for pathogen Listeria growth and inactivation, particularly in ranges requiring extrapolation.