Inhibition of Listeria innocua and L-monocytogenes in a laboratory medium and cold-smoked salmon containing liquid smoke

Five commercial liquid smokes were tested in vitro and the most inhibitory to Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115 and L. innocua A TCC 33090 was Charsol Supreme. Chum salmon samples (100-g each) were brined, dipped for 15 s at varying concentrations of liquid smoke, inoculated with L. innocua, cold-processed and analyzed. Liquid smoke concentrations of 60-100% reduced L. innocua by 3-log(10)/g in the final product. Dwell times of 15 s to 5 min using 60% liquid smoke gradually decreased Listeria survival with an optimum 5-min dip. Isoeugenol was antilisterial in vitro but lacked synergism with liquid smoke in cold-smoked salmon. An immunoassay kit detected low inoculum levels (< 100 CFU/g) of L. innocua in one of three samples that were treated with liquid smoke for two and four minutes. Charsol Supreme was antilisterial but could not be relied on to totally eliminate Listeria in cold-smoked salmon. Panelists found the 0 to 2-min dipped sockeye salmon slightly desirable with no significant (p < 0.05) differences. The 5-min treatment was significantly (p < 0.05) darker, scored lower in desirability and flavor and contained 93 ppm of phenolic compounds.