Innovative E-beam technology for validation of Salmonella inactivation kinetics in fresh shell eggs: A predictive modeling approach

FDA and IFT defined fresh shell eggs as “potentially hazardous food”. By FDA, ≥5-log of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) must be inactivated in pasteurized eggs. Only about 1 % of eggs are pasteurized in the U.S. E-beam was used to reduce SE and S. Typhimurium in fresh shell eggs. Two-sided e-beam showed adequate uniformity of dose absorbed (1.43 kGy). Predictive model for dose absorbed was developed and validated. D-value for SE was 0.34 ± 0.006 and 0.33 ± 0.018 kGy on TSA and XLD, respectively. S. typhimurium was more (P < 0.05) radio-resistant at 0.40 ± 0.007 and 0.39 ± 0.009 kGy, respectively. Predictive model for Salmonella inactivation was developed and validated. Two-sided e-beam at 3 and 5 kGy resulted in ≥13.0-log and ≥ 21.7-log reduction of SE, respectively; while S. typhimurium was reduced at ≥11.1-log and ≥ 18.5-log, respectively. The predictive model indicated that lower doses such as 1.25 kGy of two-sided e-beam would result in FDA compliance for ≥5-log reduction of SE.

Industrial relevance

This work is relevant to non-thermal food processing, specifically to non-thermal inactivation of Salmonella in fresh shell eggs that are already packed in a standard retail container. Electron beam was used in this work to reduce Salmonella without heat to comply or exceed current U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements targeting ≥5-log destruction of Salmonella Enteritidis.