Shewanella putrefaciens is an important specific spoilage organism (SSO) in seafood under low-temperature storage and can form biofilms on seafood processing-related contact surfaces, which exacerbates seafood spoilage and causes food safety problems. The characterization of and dynamic change in biofilms formed by Shewanella putrefaciens on three seafood processing-related contact surfaces were investigated in this study. An effective strategy to eliminate mature biofilms by acidic electrolysis water (AEW) was provided. Shewanella putrefaciens can form biofilms on glass, stainless steel and polystyrene, which are closely connected with surface properties such as hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity and surface roughness. AEW can be an excellent choice to clean mature biofilms formed by S. putrefaciens. AEW at a concentration of 3 g/L can remove almost all biofilms on the three common food contact materials tested. There is a bactericidal effect on the biofilm, reducing the possibility of secondary contamination. This study will contribute to promoting the application of AEW for controlling biofilms during seafood processing.

We describe a polygeneration system that can run on neat plant oils, such as Jatropha and Pongamia, or standard diesel fuel. A prototype has been constructed using a compression ignition engine of 9.9 kW shaft output. It consumes 3 L/h of fuel and will produce 40 kg/h of ice by means of an adsorption refrigerator powered from the engine jacket heat. Steaming of rice, deep and shallow frying, and other types of food preparation heated by the exhaust gas have been demonstrated. In addition, the feasibility of producing distilled water by means of multiple-effect distillation powered by the engine waste heat is shown. Overall plant efficiency and potential savings in greenhouse gas emissions are discussed.

Ethanol and water extracts were prepared from defatted cranberry pomace by pressurized liquid extraction and tested in bacterial cultures of L. monocytogenes, B. thermospacta, P. putida, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB), and pork meat products. Anthocynanins (glucosides, galactosides and arabinosides of cyanidin and peonidins), phenolic compounds and organic acids (quinic, chlorogenic, malic and citric acids; procyanidin B3, myricetin and quercetin derivatives) were determined in the extracts. The extracts effectively inhibited the growth of tested bacteria at higher than 3.3% concentration. The effect of 2% ethanol extract additive on the inhibition of the same bacteria was also determined in non-inoculated and inoculated with bacteria pork slurry, pork burgers, and cooked ham. The results showed a significant growth inhibition of pathogenic L. monocytogenes and some other species in pork slurry, burgers and cooked ham with cranberry pomace ethanol extract as compared with the control samples. The extract also effectively inhibited the formation of oxidation indicator malondialdehyde in meat products. Slight impact of extract on some physico-chemical properties of meat products such as pH, metmyoglobin content was also observed, while it did not have significant influence on water activity. Extract addition imparted some color changes; however, it did not have negative effect on the overall sensory quality of burgers and cooked ham. High effectiveness of extract additive against pathogenic L. monocytogenes and some other tested bacteria in pork slurry, burgers and cooked ham during refrigerated storage for 16, 16 and 40 days, respectively, suggest that ethanol extract of defatted cranberry pomace may be a promising natural ingredient of meat products for increasing their microbiological safety and improving oxidative stability.

Viability of Listeria monocytogenes was monitored during refrigerated (4°C) and/or frozen (i.e., deep chilling at –2.2°C) storage on casing-cooked hams that were commercially prepared with and without potassium lactate and sodium diacetate (1.6%), buffered vinegar (2.2%), buffered vinegar and potassium lactate (1.7%), or a blend of potassium lactate, potassium acetate, and sodium diacetate (1.7%). A portion of these hams were subsequently surface treated with lauric arginate ester (LAE; 44 ppm). In phase I, hams (ca. 3.5 kg each) were sliced (ca. 0.7 cm thick, ca. 100 g), inoculated (ca. 4.0 log CFU per slice), surface treated with LAE, and stored at either 4°C for 120 days or at –2.2°C for 90 days and then at 4°C for an additional 120 days. In phase I, without antimicrobials, the population of L. monocytogenes increased by ca. 5.9 log CFU per slice within 120 days at 4°C; however, pathogen levels increased only slightly (ca. 0.45 log CFU per slice) for hams formulated with potassium lactate and sodium diacetate and decreased by ca. 1.2 log CFU per slice when formulated with the other antimicrobials. For slices held at –2.2°C and then stored at 4°C, but not treated with LAE, L. monocytogenes increased by ca. 4.5 log CFU per slice for controls, whereas when formulated with antimicrobials, pathogen levels decreased by ca. 1.4 to 1.8 log CFU per slice. For product treated with LAE, L. monocytogenes increased by ca. 4.0 log CFU per slice for controls, whereas when formulated with antimicrobials, pathogen levels decreased by ca. 0.9 to 1.9 log CFU per slice. In phase II, whole hams (ca. 1.0 kg each) containing antimicrobials were inoculated (6.8 log CFU per ham) and then stored at –2.2°C for 6 months. Pathogen levels decreased by ca. 2.0 to 3.5 log CFU per ham (without LAE treatment) and by ca. 4.2 to 5.2 log CFU per ham (with application of LAE via Sprayed Lethality in Container) when product was held at –2.2°C. In general, deep chilling hams was listericidal, and inclusion of antimicrobials in the formulation suppressed outgrowth of L. monocytogenes during extended cold storage.