Survival of surface-inoculated Listeria monocytogenes on commercially available frankfurters following gamma irradiation

Frankfurter is a generic term for a cured and cooked sausage, which may consist of almost any meat type and include a wine variety of nonmeat fillers and additives. When several brands or types of commercially available frankfurters were surface-inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes and vacuum-packed, gamma radiation D-values ranged from 0.49 key to 0.71 key, with an average D-value of 0.61 key. Differences in gamma radiation D-value were observed for nine of twenty one pair-wise comparisons (alpha = 0.01) as determined by analysis of covariance. Therefore, frankfurter formulation mar affect radiation D-values for surface inoculated L. monocytogenes. If low dose gamma irradiation, cold pasteurization, were to be used for control of L. monocytogenes on frankfurters, gamma radiation dosage should be based on individual product formulation.