Impact of Acidulants on and O157:H7 in Water Microcosms Containing Organic Matter.

As demands for fresh water become more competitive between the processing plant and other consumers of water such as municipalities, interest has grown in recycling or reusing water for food processing. However, recycling the processing water from a poultry plant, for example, represents challenges due to increased organic loads and the presence of bacterial contaminants including foodborne pathogens. The objective in the current study was to evaluate the inactivation of and O157:H7 using combinations (0.5% and 1%) of sodium bisulfate (SBS) and 1% lactic acid (LA) in water and water with organic matter in the form of horse blood serum (0.3%) with exposure times of 1 min and 5 min. Pathogen reductions after a 5 min exposure time were greater than corresponding reductions after a 1 min exposure time for all acid solutions. The counts were significantly reduced (i.e., ≥1 log-unit) in all acid solutions after a 5 min exposure time with the combination of LA + SBS acid solutions being more effective than the corresponding 2% LA solutions. None of the acid solutions were effective in reducing the O157:H7 after a 1 min exposure time. The 1% LA + 1% SBS solution was the most effective acid solution against both pathogens and was the only acid solution effective in reducing O157:H7 by at least one log unit after 5 min of exposure.