High-pressure processing (HPP) of raw and dry-cured ham from experimentally infected pigs as a potential tool for the risk control of Toxoplasma gondii

Publication date: Available online 13 February 2020Source: Innovative Food Science & Emerging TechnologiesAuthor(s): María Jesús Gracia, Regina Lázaro, Consuelo Pérez-Arquillué, Rafael Pagán, Sergio Ramos, João Luis Garcia, Susana BayarriAbstractRaw and dry-cured meats have been identified as a potential source of Toxoplasma gondii infection for humans. The present study evaluated the efficacy of an alternative non-thermal food-processing treatment, high hydrostatic pressure, on the viability of T. gondii bradyzoites in raw and dry-cured ham. Meat of pigs experimentally exposed to 4000 oocysts of T. gondii VEG strain was vacuum-packaged and subjected to high pressure processing (HPP). Tap water (6 °C ± 1 °C) was used as the pressure-transmitting fluid, and its temperature during HPP increased 2.7 °C per 100 MPa. The effect was evaluated by bioassay in mice followed by qPCR. In raw ham, 100–400 MPa/1 min did not inactivate T. gondii, whereas 600 MPa/20 min was effective. In dry-cured ham, 600 MPa for 3 or 10 min were not effective and a 20-min treatment was required to render the bradyzoites non-infectious for mice. Our results point toward the potential use of HPP as a tool for risk control of T. gondii and as a food safety guarantee.Industrial relevance textUnder real production conditions, the usual HPP treatments applied by the food industry to control L. monocytogenes and other pathogenic bacteria are 600 MPa of pressure and holding ...
Source: Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies - Category: Food Science Source Type: research