Effects of cooking and cold storage on the survival of Campylobacter jejuni in meatballs

Abstract

The role of cooking and storage conditions on the survival of Campylobacter jejuni were determined on Inegol type meatballs which are Turkish specialities. Meatballs were prepared from ground red meat, which were artificially contaminated with 10(5) cfu per gram C. jejuni. Some of raw meatballs were packed and stored for 9 days in refrigerator (4 degreesC) and 60 days in deep freezer (-18 degreesC). At intervals, meatball samples were tested for survival of C. jejuni. Other meatballs were cooked in oven, on grill and in fryer at different temperature and time. After cooking of the meatballs, central temperatures were measured and presence of C. jejuni was analysed. The colony count of C. jejuni, which was 2.8 x 10(5) cfu/g in the beginning of refrigerated storage, decreased to < 10 cfu/g in the end. C. jejuni was not determined in the frozen meatballs on 20(th) day and following days. The cooking of meatballs caused totally inactivation. The result of this study showed that C. jejuni was reduced rapidly during refrigerated and frozen storage but destroyed readily during cooking of meatballs.