Fate of Salmonella Inoculated into Beef for Cooking

Abstract

D-values for Salmonella in a ground beef system were established at 125, 135 and 145 F (51.6, 57.2 and 62.7 C). The D-values determined at these temperatures were 61–62, 3.8–4.2 and 0.6–0.7 min, respectively. These values were used to develop a processing table that insured elimination of 10 million inoculated Salmonella in the center of beef roasts at temperatures sufficiently low to maintain the characteristic red color of “rare” roast beef. The effectiveness of the processing values in eliminating 10⁷ Salmonella was confirmed by processing inoculated beef roasts under commercial conditions. Additional processing procedures necessary to insure elimination of Salmonella from the surface of dry roasted beef were also developed, since it was found that Salmonella could survive on the dry roasted beef surfaces under some circumstances.