Predicting heat inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus under nonisothermal treatments at different pH

The aim was to assess whether heat resistance data obtained from isothermal treatments allow the estimation of survivors of Staphylococcus aureus under nonisothermal conditions and to find a model that accurately predicts its heat inactivation at constantly rising heating rates (0.5-9 degrees C/min) in media of different pH (4.0-7.4). S. aureus showed a higher heat resistance under isothermal treatments at pH 4.0 than at pH 5.5-7.4. However, under nonisothermal treatments S. aureus increased its heat resistance at pH 5.5-7.4 and became more thermotolerant than at pH 4.0. Estimations of survival curves under nonisothermal treatments obtained from heat resistance parameters of isothermal treatments did not adequately fit experimental values. Whereas the number of survivors was much higher than estimated at pH 5.5-7.4, that obtained at the slower heating rates at pH 4.0 was lower. An equation based on the Weibullian-like distribution (log10 S(t) = (t/delta)p) accurately described survival curves obtained under nonisothermal conditions. A nonlinear relationship was observed among the scale parameter (delta) and the heating rate which allowed the development of two equations capable of predicting the inactivation rate of S. aureus under nonisothermal treatments. This study might contribute to prevent public health risks in foods requiring long heating lag phases during their processing.