High hydrostatic pressure induced inactivation kinetics of E. coli O157:H7 and S. aureus in carrot juice and analysis of cell volume change


Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, Gıda Mühendisliği Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2007

Öğrenci: MUTLU PİLAVTEPE

Danışman: HAMİ ALPAS

Özet:

The main objective of this study was to determine the pressure induced inactivation mechanism of pressure-resistant Escherichia coli O157:H7 933 and Staphylococcus aureus 485 in a low acid food. Firstly, inactivation curves of pathogens were obtained at 200 to 400 MPa at 40ºC in peptone water and carrot juice. First-order and Weibull models were fitted and Weibull model described the inactivation curves of both pathogens more accurately than first-order model, revealing that food systems could exhibit either protective or sensitizing effect on microorganisms. Carrot juice had a protective effect on E. coli O157:H7 whereas it had a sensitizing effect on S. aureus, due to the naturally occurring constituents or phytoalexins in carrot roots that could have a toxic effect. Secondly, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescent microscopy images of studied pathogens were taken. Developed software was used to analyze SEM images to calculate the change in the view area and volume of cells. Membrane integrity of pressurized cells was also examined using fluorescent microscopy images. The increase in average values of the view area and volume of both pathogens was significant for the highest pressure levels studied. The increase in volume and the view area could be explained by the modification of membrane properties, i.e., disruption or increase in permeability, lack of membrane integrity, denaturation of membrane-bound proteins and pressure-induced phase transition of membrane lipid bilayer. The change in volume and the view area of microorganisms added another dimension to the understanding of inactivation mechanisms of microbial cells by HHP.