Modeling the Growth of Epiphytic Bacteria on Kale Treated by Thermosonication Combined with Slightly Acidic Electrolyzed Water and Stored under Dynamic Temperature Conditions

• Published in: Journal of food science Vol. 81; no. 8; pp. M2021 - M2030
• Main Authors: Mansur, Ahmad Rois, Oh, Deog-Hwan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Abuse; Bacteria; Bacteria - growth & development; Brassica; Brassica - microbiology; Colony Count, Microbial; Counting; Data processing; dynamic temperature; Dynamics; Electrolysis; Electrolytic cells; epiphytic bacteria; Error analysis; Food Handling - methods; Food Microbiology; Food quality; Food science; Food Storage - methods; growth model; Growth rate; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; kale; Lag time; Low temperature; Mathematical models; Mesophilic bacteria; microbial quality; Microorganisms; Models, Biological; Population density; Pseudomonas; Pseudomonas - growth & development; Storage; Storage temperature; Temperature; Temperature effects; Ultrasonic Waves; Vegetables; Water; growth model; microbial quality; kale; dynamic temperature; epiphytic bacteria
• ISSN: 0022-1147; 1750-3841
• DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.13388

The growth of epiphytic bacteria (aerobic mesophilic bacteria or Pseudomonas spp.) on kale was modeled isothermally and validated under dynamic storage temperatures. Each bacterial count on kale stored at isothermal conditions (4 to 25 °C) was recorded. The results show that maximum growth rate (μmax) of both epiphytic bacteria increased and lag time (λ) decreased with increasing temperature (P < 0.05). The maximum population density (Nmax) of Pseudomonas spp. was significantly greater than that of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, particularly in treated samples and/or at 4 and 10 °C (P < 0.05). The relationship between μmax of both epiphytic bacteria and temperature was linear (R2 > 0.97), whereas lower R2 > 0.86 and R2 > 0.87 was observed for the λ and Nmax, respectively. The overall predictions of both epiphytic bacterial growths under nonisothermal conditions with temperature abuse of 15 °C agreed with the observed data, whereas those with temperature abuse of 25 °C were greatly overestimated. The appropriate parameter q0 (physiological state of cells), therefore, was adjusted by a trial and error to fit the model. This study demonstrates that the developed model was able to predict accurately epiphytic bacterial growth on kale stored under nonisothermal conditions particularly those with low temperature abuse of 15 °C. Practical Application This study may provide a novel prediction method to quickly determine microbial quality of fresh produce during storage under dynamic temperatures.