Control of foodborne pathogens on ready-to-eat roast beef slurry by epsilon-polylysine.

This study evaluates the antimicrobial effectiveness of epsilon-polylysine against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes in laboratory media and roast beef slurry. epsilon-Polylysine supplemented laboratory media and roast beef slurry were inoculated with three-strain cocktails of each pathogen and survival was periodically monitored using conventional spread plating. Inoculated laboratory media was stored at room temperature (22 degrees C) for 48 h, and inoculated roast beef slurry was stored at 4 degrees C for up to 7 days. Maximum log reductions in laboratory media/roast beef slurry were 6.01+/-1.43/3.81+/-0.37, >7.82+/-0.05/5.23+/-0.08, and 4.58+/-0.86/5.83+/-0.48 for E. coli O157:H7, S. typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes, respectively. Injured cells were produced as a result of exposure to polylysine. This study confirms the effectiveness of polylysine against pathogens in laboratory media, and demonstrates its potential as a novel antimicrobial agent in complex food matrix such as roast beef.