Adjusting Processing Parameters in an Entry-Level Commercial Dehydrator To Achieve a 5-Log Reduction of Salmonella during the Cooking Step

ABSTRACT The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) guidance encourages jerky processors to use a single lethality step that will achieve a 5-log reduction of Salmonella. Many processors rely on internal temperature-time combinations recommended in this guidance. However, the efficacy of convective heating is highly dependent on relative humidity (RH). RH recommendations are vague because of variability in processing conditions and limited available data. This study was conducted to establish processing conditions for an entry-level commercial dehydrator (Harvest Saver R5A) to achieve a 5-log reduction of Salmonella. Unseasoned, unmarinated top round beef strips (65 mm thick) were inoculated with Salmonella (>7 log CFU/g) and processed with the chamber temperature set to 82.2°C for a total cook time of 60 min with the intake closed (closed oven). Modifications (product load and fan speed) were made in subsequent trials to improve lethality. After incubation at 37°C for 2...