Fate of Staphylococcus aureus in Beef Loaf, Potatoes and Frozen and Canned Green Beans after Microwave-Heating in a Simulated Cook/Chill Hospital Foodservice System .

The fate of Staphylococcus aureus in cook/chill systems before and after microwave-heating was determined, using inoculated beef loaf, dehydrated potatoes and frozen and canned green beans. These foods were prepared according to time and temperature recommendations of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) model for hospital cook/chill systems. Beef loaf was initially cooked to a mean end temperature (ET) of 66 C, potatoes were rehydrated and heated to a mean ET of 79 C and beans were not cooked initially. Products were covered and stored 24 h at 6 C. Products were portioned, 100 g/portions, stored covered 2 h at 6 C, and microwave-heated: beef loaf and frozen beans 20, 50, 80 or 110 sec; potatoes 25, 45, 65 or 85 sec and canned beans 20, 40, 60 or 80 sec. Number of S. aureus in products decreased as time of microwave-heating increased. When the mean ET of samples was approximately 74-77 C (HACCP model), microwave-heating did not consistently result in lethality of S. aureus . When time of microwave-heating in the present study was equal to time to reach 74-77 C in the prestudy, an ET of 74-77 C did not consistently occur in the food samples.