Survival of Streptococcus faecium in Beef loaf and Potatoes after Microwave-Heating in a Simulated Cook/Chill...

This study evaluated survival of a radiation-resistant organism, Streptococcus faecium , as a potential indication of safety of beef loaf and potatoes after microwave-heating in a hospital cook/chill foodservice system. The cook/chill system was simulated in a laboratory three times for both beef loaf and potatoes. Beef loaf (15 kg) was initially cooked to 66 C in a convection oven (156 C), chilled 24 h at 6 C, cut into 100-g portions, inoculated on the external surface with S. faecium (1 × 10⁸ CFU/g), chilled 2 h, and microwave-heated for 20, 50, 80 or 110 sec. Dehydrated potatoes (5.7 kg) were reconstituted to 79 C over direct heat, chilled to 37 C, inoculated internally with S. faecium (1 × 10⁶ CFU/g), stored chilled 24 h at 6 C, portioned into 100 g/portion, chilled 2 h at 6 C and microwave-heated for 25, 45, 65 or 85 sec. Results indicated that increasing the time of microwave-heating for portions of beef loaf or potatoes decreased the count on KF agar regardless of internal or external inoculation procedure. Eighty or 85 sec of microwave-heating of beef loaf or potatoes resulted in portions with similar numbers of bacteria as determined by KF agar, but mean internal end temperatures ranged from 66 to 95 C.