A rapid surface intervention process to kill Listeria innocua on catfish using cycles of vacuum and steam

The vacuum/steam/vacuum surface intervention process was applied to catfish surface inoculated with Listeria innocua. Studies were performed to determine the optimum process conditions of steam temperature, steam time, and number of cycles. Cycling the treatment significantly improved the microbiological kill. At the optimum conditions of steam time of 0.05 to 0.10 s at 143 degreesC and with 4 cycles, bacterial kill in excess of 2-log cfu/ml (colony forming units/ml) was attained.. The surface intervention process should ensure that catfish reaching the consumer have greatly reduced levels or are free of Listeria contamination.