Spray application of liquid smoke to reduce or eliminate Listeria monocytogenes surface inoculated on frankfurters.

Abstract In a simulated post process contamination scenario liquid smoke was sprayed on the frankfurters after peeling, and then inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes (Lm). Samples that did not receive a liquid smoke spray remained at approximately 2 log cfu/cm 2 during the 48 h of storage while the levels on the liquid smoke treated frankfurters continued to decline until they were below detection level (1 cfu/100 cm 2 ). A shelf-life study lasting 140 days indicated that liquid smoke suppressed the growth of Lm for up to 130 days. An application of 2 or 3 ml liquid smoke at packaging resulted in at least a 1 log reduction of Lm within 12 h post packaging.